A Perfect Pair
by dancedude09
Summary: It's that story about those two twin girls who's parents are Nathan and Haley and blah blah blah... Review, please.
1. Camp Walden

**Here is my new fic! Its a parent trap type thing. Naley style! Review Please**

**Exclaimer: Dont own anything!**

Chapter 1: Camp Walden

The bus passes an archway that has the words 'Camp Walden' imprinted upon them. She sticks her head out the window, and takes in a big breath of the warm, summer air. The bus stopped, and kids filed off. She had taken the furthest back seat on the bus, it was a status symbol to them. She finally got off, said goodbye to Dave, one of the counselors and her bus driver, and scanned the crowd for Amber and Stacy. They had all met at their first summer there, when they were seven. The camp ranged in ages from seven to twelve. They were twelve. And next year they would most likely go to the camp a few miles down the road, that would take them until they were 17. Then they would become counselors. She noticed girls pointing at her, whispering things. She figured it was either because of her father, or the legend she had made herself at this camp. She held the record for pranks, she was reigning poker champ, one of the best basketball players, won 3 out of 4 of the Talent Show competitions, and was usually threatened to be thrown out of the camp a few times a day. The counselors loved her though, she knew every worker in the joint, and they all thought she was awesome. Well, except Mary, the assistant camp head, she hated her guts.

She spotted Amber and Stacy sitting over by a tree, completely ignoring whatever Mary was currently shouting into her microphone. She laughed to herself when she saw Stacy scare off some little girl that was trying to act tough.

"Hey ladies." She said, sitting down next to them.

"Don't 'hey' us Miss. I-forgot-to-call-too-many-times-to-count." Amber said, giving her famous attitude.

"Ignore her. Her dad went ballistic when he found out the cell phone bill she had racked up." Stacy informed her.

"Oh, did he confiscate it?" She asked.

Amber gave her a weird look.

"It means taken away, smart one." Stacy helped.

"Oh, yeah. It's gone 'till the end of summer. How am I supposed to call all my guys? I mean really!" She whined

"ALL? What does ALL mean?"

"Oh, I have like 5 guys back home thinking that they are my boyfriend. It's fun. Try it. I'm planning on giving the camp guys a look over too. So far I have a three city boyfriend span. But they come from all over here, so I am hoping to expand my list greatly while I am here." Amber had always been the biggest flirt.

They shook their heads at her. Somewhere in the background they heard Mary calling out cabin assignments.

"Hickory: Nicole Scott, Amber Johnson, Stacy Jergins, Heather Richardson, and Jessica Stover."

"WHAT! One: Why aren't we in Navajo? And two: Those girls are 1st years!" She called to Mary. She swore she would have broke up her and her girls if their parents hadn't called and pre-requested them to be together.

"I'm sorry Miss. Scott, but they may be 1st year campers, but they are your age, and there are WAY too many campers this year for us to try and accommodate to your likening. Now, since you three are the only girls that have been coming here every year, you can help get them acquainted and situated, please." She told them, as if she were happy that they weren't happy with the arrangment.

"NO WAY! That is a second year job! Where is Melinda?" Melinda was Nicole's favorite, she was head counselor, and was the only one that Mary had to listen to. Melinda loved Nicole, she had gotten her out of so much. She was the reason that she came year after year, well, actually Amber and Stacy really were, but she was up there on the list.

"I'm sorry Miss. Scott. Melinda is working the older kids camp this year. I am head this year. And it is no longer a second year job. It's the three of you's."

"I'm sorry. 'The three of you's?' Mary, there is only ONE of me. However, there are three of us." She said, indicated toward Amber and Stacy, who were standing in their normal stance, with Nicole in front, Stacy behind her and to the left, Amber behind her and to the right.

"Don't be a smart Alec, Nicole. I gave you your assignment, and you will do it. Along with the rest of your 5th year jobs."

"Whatever, biotch." She mumbled, turning to walk toward her cabin, and then ignoring Mary's "What was that?"

"Great! Just Great! Mary: Head counselor? Well, it was nice seeing you ladies for like five minutes, but we are sure to get kicked out now. Every year she tries to get us kicked out. I mean she talks about forgiveness, but she is still holding a damn grudge about that whole: putting your pudding in her shampoo bottle thing. BIG DEAL! That was when we were 7 and besides, we could've gotten her worse than that!" Stacy shouted, following Amber and Nicole who were walking up the Hickory cabin steps, until they heard the Navajo assignments.

"NAVAJO: Hannah James, Kristen Copper, Jean Lanberg, Britney Baker, and Lauren Hopkins."

"ER! I hate Mary, she put 1st and 2nd years in OUR cabin! What the hell is up her butt!"

She stepped out of the car that had taken her from the airport to 'Camp Walden.' Part of her was annoyed: she was looking forward to spending the summer in her new house, in air conditioning, and helping her mom decorate the house. But a bigger part was excited: she was finally leaving, by herself, and doing normal, everyday girl-type things. She hadn't done that in years.

"Bye, Pimp Daddy!" She giggled to the man hugging her. Who cringed at the name she had given him.

"Bye, and try not to show-up everyone. Some people's ego can't take that."

"Right, kinda like you?" She asked causally.

"Right, like me. Wait, no!" He recovered.

"Yeah, yeah. Just tell my mother not to have a nervous breakdown, or go into full physcopathic mode while I am gone." She told him.

"Will do. Bye, my oh-so-favorite-niece."

"Bye, Uncle Luke. By the way, I am your ONLY niece so what you just said doesn't mean crap." She laughed.

"Right." He said, finally getting into the car.

She looked around, nervously. She saw a few people staring at her. She couldn't tell why, although it could be that she was the only one wearing jeans. She noted it was WAY too hot for jeans here, and that she should change immediately.

"Hannah James?" A girl called out to her. She couldn't tell from where though. "HANNAH JAMES!" She turned around fully to see a short blonde staring at her.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Hi, I was told to wait for you here. I'm Lauren Hopkins. We are in the same cabin. This is my second year here, but I am 12 too. Follow me." She told her, grabbing one of her bags, and walked toward a cabin. It read Navajo.

"How many years have most girls been here?" She asked, trying to keep up with the girl.

"Well, there are only three that have been here all 5 years that you can come, most one or two. Not many come year after year. But the 5 year girls, aren't girls you want to mess with. They win like every competition, and pull pranks and things on girls who try to get in their way."

"What, so like is everyone scared of them or something."

"I guess you could say that."

She spent the entire day with Lauren. She really liked her. She showed her around, explained most of the could and couldn'ts, even if she was sure to do both, and told her that if you went on the boy's side of the camp not during activities, you were sent home, no questions asked.


	2. Red Flag! Football!

**Chapter 2: RED Flag! Football.**

The following day, Nicole and the girls from Hickory cabin were set to play flag football, they challenged the girls from the Navajo cabin. Nicole decided that they needed to show them that they couldn't take THEIR cabin, even if they hadn't chose to. She pulled on her white shirt, or camp 'home jersey.' Then she shoved her helmet onto her head, and walked toward the grass field, named the football field, but not because that was what they always played their, just it was long enough to be one. Nicole was going to play wide receiver and a blocker. She liked contact, and being the quarterback, you diverted people tackling you. Not her style. Even if it was flag football.

She watched and sniggered as the girls from Navajo came out onto the field, already in their green shirts, and got into a huddle.

"Alright ladies! Huddle up!" She shouted to her team. Once they were all near her she started her captain 'motivation' speech, which was more of a good kick in the butt. "We HAVE to win this. No excuses. Got it? Go big or plan on sleeping on the cabin floor." She put her hand it the middle and while Amber and Stacy agreeingly put their hand on top, the two other girls looked terrified. Nicole groaned. "Hello!" She yelled, indicating to the three hanging hands. They reluctantly put their hands on top, as well, and yelled "Hickory!" at the same time they heard "Navajo!" From the other side of the field.

The game began as Hannah and Nicole shook hands, as captains, and the coin was tossed. Hannah took in that she had blue eyes, like hers, but that was all she could see because of the helmet. She was yelling at her team constantly, and was taunting her team non-stop. It was starting to piss her off.

A counselor came toward them at about an hour later. The score was tight with Hickory leading, Navajo had the ball.

"Hey Adrian!" Nicole shouted.

"Nicole? That you in there?" She asked, tapping on her helmet.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Well, wrap it up, lunch is in a half hour."

"Right. Hey, Adrian? Want to watch us kick Navajo's a/ss?" Adrian looked about 20 to Hannah, and didn't seem to mind the swearing. 'Evil Biotch!' Hannah thought.

"Sure, but make it quick."

"Duh. This will be painless AND quick." She told her, matter-of-factly.

She gave a glare toward Hannah, who clearly heard.

Hannah got the ball and started running toward the endzone. Nicole came out of no where, pushed Hannah out of bounds while ripping the flag off of Hannah's belt. Navajo lost the game.

"See? Easy and fast. They sucked. If our team from last year was still in tact we would have beat them 21-nothing." Nicole said to Adrian, who looked less than impressed. Hannah couldn't take it anymore.

"That wasn't-" Adrian started, but stopped when she saw Hannah come from the side and deck Nicole.

"You are so dead, James!" She shouted from underneath Hannah, and then pushed her off, getting one good punch into Hannah's stomach before Adrian restrained her. Mary, who saw the whole thing, came charging across the field. Nicole and Hannah took off their helmets, and were amazed when they saw that they looked identical. They both had bright blue eyes, and semi-curly brown hair. Nicole's hair was short, with layers, and bangs, while Hannah's hair was longer and all one length. Nicole realized she looked like a loser, staring at a 1st year like she was a dead person or something.

"Oh, my god." Hannah said.

"What?" Nicole asked, trying to cover for her actions.

But she didn't have time to point out the resemblance, because Mary was yelling at them.

"Hannah James and Nicole Scott! Enjoy your last lunch with your friends, then PACK YOUR BAGS!"

And with one last glare at each other, they stalked off with their separate friends to lunch.

'Oh, crap! This is it! They are going to send me home on the second day! Just perfect! My mom is NOT going to like this.' Hannah thought.

'Oh crap! This is it! They are going to finally, actually send me home! And on the second day! My dad is NOT going to like this.' Nicole thought.

They walked toward the flagpole, where quite a crowd had gathered. Some guys even hiked down to see what had happened on the second day.

They put their things down and sat on top of them, arms crossed, looking in the opposite direction of each other. Mary strutted toward them, Nicole was sure that was a smile she saw on her face, finally she could follow up on all those years of threats, and no one could stop her.

"You girls ready? Follow me." She said simply, and the crowd parted to let them through.

'Was she gonna take us out to the forest and let us try to walk to the airport or something?' Hannah thought.

Nicole knew where she was heading after about 15 minutes of walking. The isolation cabin. No one had been in there since her 1st summer there. Two boys had almost ripped each other's heads off because they both were wearing the same uniform, and both refused to change. She was pretty sure no one had been out there since, considering the path was pretty overgrown.

Sure enough they stopped at a sign that read: isolation cabin. And pointed up a big set of wood stairs. The cabin looked like it was falling apart. Unlike the other cabins, this one had paint chipped, the windows were so dirty you couldn't see in, and the screen door was ripped.

"You two will stay here for the rest of the summer. You cannot leave without the other, unless there is an emergency, not even for meals. You will sit together at every meal, away from the rest of the camp. If one doesn't wish to leave for a meal, then there is a phone that only reaches my office, you can order meals on that, and someone will bring it to you. For activities, you-"

"Must do them together?" Hannah offered, annoyed.

"Yes. Have fun." She told them sarcastically, walking back down the path they had came.

They walked up toward the cabin, stairs creaking. They walked inside, it was as big as a normal cabin, but only had two beds. They had more room. That was a plus. They immediately started unpacking. They both took full advantage of the extra space. Nicole put pictures of her family and friends all over the wall closest to her bed. Hannah put up a few, but got angry when they wouldn't stick and started to play solitaire.

"You like playing cards?" Nicole asked, noticing what she was doing.

"Yeah, I picked it up when I was little, when we are on the road, I have a lot of time to myself. I needed something that wouldn't 'disturb others,'" she tells her.

"Yeah, I know that's how I picked up playing poker."

"Oh, my god! You play poker?" Hannah asks her

"Of course, I play my dad all the time, but he sucks and loses all of his money to me," She laughs.

"If he loses all of his money then why does he play again?"

"His pride, he can't bear to be beat by girl. It's just how he is."

"I wish my uncle was like that, I thought he could play, so I went all out, and beat him, bad, and then he never wanted to play against me again. And my mom, well she absolutely sucks at poker, so she tries to get me to 'play an awesome game of Go Fish!'" She laughs.

The horn sounded for lights out, and Hannah turned them off.

"What are you doing?" Nicole asked in the dark.

"Ah, turning off the lights?"

"Why? They can't see our cabin from here."

"Oh, good point." She said turning back on the lights.

"Is that your mom?" Nicole asked, referencing to a picture on the wall.

"Yep. That's my mom. Haley James. She's-"

"YOUR MOM IS HALEY JAMES!" She shouted.

"Shh.. Yes, she is."

"Oh, my god! I love her music!"

"Oh, that's good. She'll be happy, I think it's funny that she doesn't give a crap what the critics say, but if a teenage girl says that it was horrible, she'll be like heartbroken."

"Is that your dad?" Hannah asks.

"Yeah, Nathan Scott. He plays for the Lakers."

"Yeah, I know! My Uncle plays for the Knicks. And ESPN is permanently on our TV. Unless Desperate Housewives is on." She laughs, thinking of her mother's addiction to that show.

"That your dad?" Nicole asked, seeing the next photo.

"No, that's my Uncle Lucas. I've never met my dad."

"Oh, I've never met my mom either. All I have is a stupid picture that you can barely see her face in." Nicole tells her, annoyed when she springs up and starts going through her trunk. "What are you doing?"

"I found it! I mean, you probably have a whole picture, I just have one that-" Hannah tells her.

"Was ripped right down the middle?"

"Right down the middle." She agrees.

They show each other the picture. They fit together. It was of Nathan and Haley walking down the street, holding hands, but it was at night so the faces were kinda blurry. It was their yearbook photo together.

"Oh, my god." They said in unison.

"That's my mom," Hannah said.

"That's definitely my dad." Nicole agreed.

"Do you know what this means?" Hannah asked.

"We're sisters?" She asked.

"Nicole, we are more than sisters, we're twins."

**Review please!**


	3. Plotting Change

Thanks to anyone who is reading.

**Chapter 3: Plotting Change**

They awoke the next morning to sounds of all the camp rushing to breakfast. Neither wanted to leave, and Nicole wanted to annoy Mary.

"Hey Mary!" She yelled into the phone.

"No, need to yell Miss. Scott."

"Oh sorry." She whispered.

"You need to talk at a normal rate, Miss. Scott."

"Like this?"

"That will do. What can I do for you ladies."

"Bring us breakfast. Hannah doesn't want to leave."

"Okay, happy bonding ladies!" She said cheerfully, hanging up.

"Go screw yourself." She said, equally as cheery, once she had hung up the phone.

"I take it you don't like her very much." Hannah laughed.

"I loathe Mary Martian." Nicole told her. "It's hard not to."

"Yeah, she's pretty harsh. Hey, um. I wanted to you know, apologize for the whole tackling thing."

"Ha, no prob, in fact if I was in your situation I would have done a lot more than deck me. And I'm sorry for the being a totally bitch."

The food arrived and they ate together on Hannah's bed.

"So, I was thinking." Nicole started.

"Oh, don't hurt yourself." She joked.

"Funny! No, but seriously, I've never met my mom. And you've never met your dad.." Nicole said.

"Yeah, and?"

"AND! We change places when we go back at the end of the summer."

"No! No, no, no, no!" Hannah protested. "I've seen so many TV shows about how twins switch places and it always turns out bad."

"Okay, one, you watch way too much Tv, two, we have a seven weeks and 5 days left to learn everything about each other, and three, that's TV."

"Alright, genius, than what happens when we need to switch back, we can't stay each other for school."

"We tell them then. And they switch us back, and then we convince them to let us see each other ALL of the time. Completely fool proof."

"Yeah, sure." She said, sarcastically.

"COME ON HANNAH! Live a little! I HAVE to know my mom! And I know that you want to meet our dad..."

Hannah considered this for a little while, Nicole waiting nervously.

"ALRIGHT! HELL YES! I'll do it!"

"Good. Cause, I would have annoyed the hell out of you all summer, and that takes too much energy." She laughed.

So they got to work. They shared pictures and stories of their family. There were maps of houses, and neighborhoods and pictures and schedules and outlines of a normal day all over the walls.

"You need to cut your hair Hannah."

"No! No way!"

"How can I leave home with short layers and 8 weeks later come home with shoulder length hair?"

"Maybe your hair grows abnormally fast."

"Doubt it. Sit your a/ss in the chair and shut up."

She sits and Nicole cuts, and cuts. It ended up looking really cool.

"Wow, we look so alike now." Nicole said

"Duh! We're identical!" Hannah pointed out.

"That sounded just like me!"

"Well, in two days I am Miss. Nicole Scott, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are. And I am Miss. Hannah James. I can't believe we pulled this off."

"What! You suggested it!"

"Yeah, but learning to be a totally different person is hard work!"

They both laugh.

"Alright, remember: I call Uncle Lucas Pimp Daddy." Hannah told Nicole.

"And remember Brooke calling me a Ho is normal." Nicole told Hannah.

"Right! Bye Nicole, I mean Hannah." Hannah says

"Yeah, Bye Hannah, I mean Nicole." Nicole laughs closing the car door. Driving off toward the airport.

"Oh, god I hope we can pull this off." Hannah says to herself, getting on the bus, and walking toward the back.

**PUH LEASE REVIEW:( **


	4. Singing a New Tune

**Chapter 4: Singing a New Tune**

Nicole gets off her plane and looks around, she doesn't see anyone that looks like the people Hannah showed her in the pictures, so she sits down on one of the rows of chairs near her. She waits for a few minutes before she sees a blonde haired man running toward her.

"PIMP DADDY!" She hugs him, laughing.

"Hey Hannah, I'm sorry, New York rush hour traffic on a Friday." He hugs her back, lifting her up so her feet are dangling a foot or so off the ground.

"Enough said."

"So come on! Let's get you home before your mother has a heart attack from 'Hannah-deprivation' as she liked to say, all, summer, long." He dragged out, referencing her annoying complaints that she missed Hannah too much., as they started to walk toward the exit

"Why didn't she come to pick me up?" She asked, hoping her mother wasn't one of those work-aholics types that she would barely ever see.

"Kenny made her lay down a new song, and she can't seem to get the note right or something, and anyway they have her locked up in the studio."

"Kenny?" Hannah left whoever 'Kenny' was out.

"Kenny... her manager since forever? Remember?"

"Ah.. Of course I do. Momentary lapse of memory, I guess."

"Whatever kiddo, get in." He motioned to a silver BMW. It had a navigation system, but it wasn't 'pimped out' like most of her dad's cars.

They got in and his cell phone rang and he immediately flipped it open, and started to talk to what sounded like his agent or something.

It wasn't long before they arrived. They took the elevator to the top, it was glass and you could look out at the city, it looked funny from that high up. They stopped at the top floor and got out. She followed Lucas through a door that was labeled 'Penthouse' on a small card. She took a good look around and noticed it wasn't flashy or new wave or whatever, it was a simple place that made you feel welcomed, it wasn't cold or uninviting like some people's houses.

"Alright, you want to say hi to your mom or get food first?"

"Say hi to mom! Definitely."

"Okay, lets go." Nicole followed him down a hallway, and she passed Hannah's room, her mother's room, two bathrooms, and Lucas's room. She mentally thanked Hannah for the idea to make maps of their houses.

They stopped at a room that the door was a little thicker, and there was a red light over it, that wasn't lit. They walked through.

She saw a door immediately to her left, and farther down the wall was ½ glass and ½ recording equipment. To her right there was couches and chairs and empty food cartons.

"Hey guys." A man said that was switching knobs on the equipment board up and down.

"Hey, Kenny." Lucas said, sitting next to a woman she recognized to be her Aunt Taylor from a picture, and a blonde haired man she didn't know.

"HANNAH! Oh, my gosh! How awesome was camp? Any hot boys?" Taylor asked, giving her a quick hug. "And look, you got a killer hair cut! It's rockin! I love it!"

"Umm.. Lets see. Camp was great, but I didn't get to see any of the boys, we weren't allowed near them, and my friend cut my hair."

"Yeah, well, it's a shame you didn't get to see any of the guys." She reminded Nicole of Brooke, just a lot crazier. She looked out the glass, and saw another room with microphones and speakers and stuff. She saw a woman walking toward the door on her left through the glass. She turned to see her mother.

"HANNAH! OH MY GOSH! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" She hugged her.

Nicole was crying now, not wanting to let go of her mother.

"Oh, baby, what's wrong?" She asked wiping away a tear.

"Nothing.. It's just.. I haven't seen you.. In a long time. And I missed you so much."

"I missed you too!" She said, pulling Nicole into a hug again.

"So does this mean that we are done recording?" Kenny asked.

"Yeah, it does." Haley said simply.

"It's not like she was going to hit the note anyway." The blonde man next to Lucas spoke up.

"Shut up Chris!" Her Aunt Taylor warned. She realized that he was Chris, and from what Hannah had told her, Aunt Taylor and him are engaged.

"Sorry Babe." He mumbled.

"Anyways," Haley continued on. "I thought we could unpack and then make some Mac and Cheese and watch reruns of I Love Lucy."

"Sounds good." Nicole realized now where her love for macaroni came from. They walked back out the door, unpacked all of her clothes and then Haley made them the food and then she got her DVD of I Love Lucy from the cabinet and they settled down to watch. About halfway through Lucas came and sat with them, who was currently pigging out on Oreos.

Nicole wondered if they had these types of nights often. If they did, she wasn't sure she'd ever want to switch back. Her mother seemed so kind and loving, and down to earth. Nicole noticed that she smiled a lot, she blushed when Lucas would tease her, she was really smart, and from what her Uncle Lucas had said, she pretty much sucked big time at sports. They both had said that they'd rather sit here hanging out then go out to some high profile party, which Nicole couldn't help but smile at. Her Uncle Lucas seemed pretty awesome, he wasn't at all like most of her dad's teammates, most of them were stupid jocks that always thought about girls.

Nicole wondered if Hannah loved their father as much as she was loving her mother.

THANKS FOR REVIEWING. I had to babysit my cousins(pain in the ass!)and when i saw the comments i felt so much better! Thanks guys.


	5. Love and Basketball

**Okay: Thanks to those of you pretty people who review**

**Answers/ Shhhtuff:1- I wasn't aware that several people were doing Parent Trap fics. I was just watching the movie right before OTH and got the idea and loved it. Parent Trap is one of my all-time favorite movies so I just had to do a fic.**

**2- Lucas's name is still Scott. I know it doesn't fit well with the whole two different basketball team, ESPN watching thing at all, but you'll see why later.**

**3- You may have guessed, especially if you have read my other fic (My Brady Bunch) that I love dragging my Naley out. But they will end up together. I mean, if you saw the movie (WHICH YOU SHOULD!) they end up together at the END Wink, WInk But I'm not sure at this point how long it is until the END. lol And depending apon how many people respond, i may do a squeal.**

**AND NOW TO YOUR FEATURE PRESENTATION:**

**Chapter 5: Love and Basketball**

Hannah arrived at the LAX airport only to be bombarded by Brooke, who ran full speed at her the second she came out of the door and she hugged her so tight Hannah thought her head might just pop off.

"NICOLE! My one and only preteen slut! We need to get out of here! There was an old guy waiting near me that seemed just a little too friendly." She lead them toward baggage claim, and Brooke kept trying to ask her questions, but they kept getting separated by the crowd. Finally, after they had gotten her duffel and got in their car they could talk.

"So... How was camp? I bet it was awesome! How was the selection of hotties?" She asked.

"It was awesome, but the guys were on the other side of the camp, and I sort of got into a TINY bit of trouble and couldn't leave my cabin without my roommate." She told her, knowing that Nicole would brag about her mischief.

"Nicole! What did you do?"

"Uh, I kind of was a brat to this girl so she got mad and decked me, then I kinda hit her back and we got put in the isolation cabin because of stinky old Mary."

"Oh, bummer. But you did kick her butt right?"

"Of course! So anyways, what did you do without me this summer?"

"Oh, you know, shopping, making sure your father doesn't screw up."

"Hmm.. Sounds like fun."

"Duh. Anyways, I have news! That I am not really supposed to tell you, but what the Hell, I'll tell you anyway. Okay so-" She was cut off by her phone ringing. "It's your father." She informed her after looking at the caller id.

"What do you want?" She yelled into the phone.

"NO! I was NOT going to tell her..." She said, with a 'busted' look on her face.

"Fine! Why do I stick around here anyway! You don't even let me gossip anymore! You are killing Brooke Davis, Nathan Scott! Killing her! I hope you miss her when she's gone too. On her grave marker, you can put "Death by lack of gossip and proper girltime!""

"The cheerleaders don't count. They aren't able to carry on a conversation."

"Shut up! I was a high school cheerleader, okay? Whatever, I won't tell her. Yet. We will be home soon." She hangs up the phone and rolls her eyes.

"Sorry, babe, I can't tell you. He wants to be there. Loser."

"Oh, okay." Hannah says.

Brooke looks at her, shocked and sort of laughs at her.

"What?" She says, looking up at her.

"You, Nicole Scott, stops at 'I can't tell you.'? No begging for hints, juicy details, or just the whole thing!"

"Well, would you tell me?"

"If you guessed I could..."

"Hmm... and how am I supposed to guess? I have NO clue what you were talking about."

"Right... but maybe what daddy doesn't know won't kill him?" It was funny to Hannah, how childish she was acting, almost like Aunt Taylor, just a little less sexual, but maybe that would come later she only talked to her for like 30 minutes.

"Brooke, it's okay. I'll just wait."

"Fine. When did you become such a party pooper?"

"I'm just tired. That's all." She tried to cover up.

"Oh, right, like 7 hours on a plane wasn't enough sleep?"

"Actually! There was this annoying bald guy next to me, and I couldn't fall asleep."

"You should have bought the seats next to you too, they don't give you enough room anymore."

"Brooke, I rode in the Business class, do you know how big those chairs are!"

"Not big enough! Where does a girl put all of her make-up at?"

"In the overhead storage!" She laughed, it felt oddly comfortable bantering with her like this.

"You know, you are too much like your moth- I mean father."

Hannah caught what she was going to say, and just looked out the window. Not long after, they pulled up to the house, which was more of a mansion, and got out. About four tall men came out of the house as they were entering.

"Hey Nicole, Brooke." They all say. Hannah wondered if she should know who they are or not.

"Hey guys. The team meeting is over now right?"

"Yep." The last one out tells her.

"Good." She says to no one in particular.

"NATHAN!" She screams into the house, startling Hannah.

She hears footsteps pounding down the stairs as her father comes jogging down them. A big grin forms across his face as he holds his arms out, and she grins too as she runs eagerly into his arms.

"Hey honey! I missed you so much! Did you have a good time at camp?" He says hugging her like Uncle Lucas does, so he's standing up straight and her feet are dangling above the floor.

"Hey dad! I missed you ssooo much! And camp was fun."

"Good." He saw that there were a few tears coming down her face, and he quickly wiped them away. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just really happy finally see you."

"It's only been eight weeks." He tells her.

"Yeah, but it feels like years!"

"How are Stacy and Amber?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old." She tells him, not sure what to tell him at all.

"What! That's all you have to say? I send you away from me for eight weeks every year to see them, and all I get is 'Same old, same old'!"

"They are fine. I didn't get a chance to see them much."

"I thought you were in the same cabin."

"We were until this one girl picked a fight with ME and I get put in the isolation cabin with her." She says, hoping it sounds like Nicole.

"Oh, that sucks. Well, come on. Let's have some dinner, then I have some news to tell you."

They eat, on his couch, which was an oversize leather one, and talked about camp. She could tell he was worried about whatever he was going to tell her, even though she had only been with him about an hour. It was like instinct, or maybe she noticed the behavior from Uncle Luke. Or herself.

"Of course, we played basketball. She was really good too." She told him.

"Better than you?"

"Probably, we were always on the same team, so its hard to judge."

"Yeah, look Nicole-" He started.

"Baby! Are you here? Natey?" A woman called, before entering the room. "Oh, I forgot, she was coming home today." She says with a plastered smile on her face, but Nathan didn't seem to notice the flakiness in her voice.

"Yes, she did. Um. Nicole this is Kristin."

"Hi, Kristin." She said, matching the smile on Kristin's face as she shook her hand. She already didn't like her. She was blonde and skinny like a stick, blue eyes, young, maybe 20.

"Hi, Nicole. I am so happy to have finally met you."

"Um. Nicole, Kristin and I are getting married." Way to be blunt.

**Dun. Dun. Dun. Well have a nice day. lol**

**REVIEW BIOTCHES!**


	6. Phone Calls at Midnight

Here is the Update:

Thanks to my readers! But jsyk: There are some twists and whatever, Its not EXCATLY like the Parent Trap.

Anyways: I dont own anything, Cause i have NO money.. poor me...

**Chapter 6: Phone Calls at Midnight**

"Hello?" Lucas asked into the phone.

"Hello?" Nicole replied, nervously.

"Hannah?" He asks, before seeing her walk down the stairs. "I'm sorry. Losing my mind over here. Who did you want to speak with?"

"Hannah. This is Debbie, from camp."

"Right. Hold on." He said into the phone. "Here. Debbie from camp. I think I might be on a sugar hangover."

"You'll live." She told him, before anxiously taking the phone from him. She ran into her bathroom and locked the door. "Hannah?"

"Nicole?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"DAD IS GETTING MARRIED!" Hannah screamed into the phone, causing Nicole to sink backwards into the tub.

"What? No, he can't be!"

"Obviously he can! It's at the end of the month. She's blonde, skinny, huge boobs, wears TONS of makeup, her tone is like nails on a chalkboard, and she is dumb as a rock!"

"Wait, how do you know all of this?"

"I just spent the entire night with her! She's awful! And Brooke thinks that she is only into him for his money. Which doesn't surprise me. I doubt she could spell 'Love' let alone feel it!" She cried to her twin.

"Okay, Okay. Look. You need to talk dad into going back to Tree Hill. Mom has a show there next Wednesday, so we are leaving New York on Monday and staying there until Sunday. Let me warn you: It won't be easy. I've tried before, Tree Hill definitely isn't his favorite place."

"Got it. I can do it Nicole!" Hannah said.

"Of course you can. You have to. See you next week."

"Yeah, okay. Bye."

Hannah walked back into her, or rather Nicole's, bedroom and slept until noon. When she awoke, Kristin was sitting on Nathan's lap on the back porch, clearly visible through the sliding glass doors, and Brooke was making a sandwich in the kitchen.

"Good Morning, little ho."

"Good Morning." She said, watching Kristin plant kisses along Nathan's neck.

"Kind of makes you sick doesn't it?"

"A little. Brooke, what are you doing next week?" She asked, hoping to get her on her side.

"Well, I had a deadline on a design, but I had the inspiration yesterday, so I am going in later to clear it, so: No plans as of yet. Why dollface?"

"Oh, we might be going out of town."

"Really? Where? Bahamas? Paris? Someplace fabulous right?" She said, listing off the normal places.

"No, more like Tree Hill, North Carolina." She told her matter-of-factly, which caused Brooke to drop the piece of bread she was spreading miracle whip on.

"Oh, honey. That again? I thought we've been over this. Tree Hill, it just... holds too many memories."

"Memories of my mother? Or me? Or Nicole?" She dropped the bomb, causing Brooke to look at her shocked, before tears started to well up in her eyes.

"You're not Nicole?"

She nodded her head, tears starting to form, too. As Nathan walked in waving goodbye to Kristin.

"Brooke? Nicole? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," they both cried.

"Really? Then why are you both looking like that?" He asked, confident that he was on to something.

"She's just... so her. In all the ways I expected her to be." She told him, letting a few tears escape, but quickly wiping them away. "Perfect in every way. Just like she was when she came home from the hospital. 6 pounds, 9 ounces. 21 inches long." She cried, before walking around the island to hug Hannah.

"Sure..." He said, quickly leaving.

"Brooke. I really need to go to Tree Hill. Dad cannot marry her! She is awful!"

"Okay, honey. We'll figure something out. But if you're here, where is Nicole?"

"Nicole is in New York with my mother. But she has a show next week in Tree Hill."

"TUTORGIRL! Oh my gosh! We HAVE to go now! I need to see her! And Peyton and Jake and Jenny and Karen and Keith! Oh! What am I going to bring? We need to go shopping!" She rambled.

"Brooke! First, we need to develop a plan to get him there."

"Hannah?" Lucas starts curiously at breakfast.

"Yeah?" She says, grabbing the cereal.

"What happened to your scar?"

A panicked look spread across her face, as she looked at Haley and Lucas's suspicious faces.

"Uhh, which scar?"

"The one on your elbow, that you got when you fell out of that tree." He answered.

"Oh, that scar. Um. It healed?" She tried.

"Yeah. Right. Hello, Nicole." He said, confidently with the Scott smirk she knew so well. She looked at Haley who had a smile and tears on her face.

"Um. What? I don't... I don't know... okay, fine we met camp and switched places."

"Oh!" Haley sobbed, getting up to hug Nicole.

"We just, really wanted to meet you guys, and we love you so much, and I just hope that one day you can love me as me and not Hannah."

"Oh, baby, I've loved you your whole life. You don't even know. Oh, look at you! You are so beautiful!"

"Mom, I look exactly like Hannah."

"Only on the outside." She answered.

"So if you're here, where is Hannah?" Lucas asked.

"Um. L.A. With my dad." Nicole watched as Haley's grin fell and her eyes widened.

"Oh. I guess we should have been expecting that. Huh, Hales?"

But Haley just sat back down and buried her head in her hands.

"Haley. It's okay. He's probably matured since we saw him," He said, looking at Nicole for back-up.

"Oh, yeah, tons!" She agreed, a little sad to see her mother so upset over seeing her father.

"Just relax. It will all go smoothly. I promise." He said, holding her hand across the table, but flashing Nicole a 'I hope what I just said is correct, in fear of losing my life.' look.

Monday morning, Hannah, Brooke, Nathan, and to Hannah and Brooke's disliking, Kristin, were on a plane to Tree Hill, out of Los Angeles.

"Why do we have to have the party here, Nicole?" Nathan grumbled.

"For the millionth time, you know Kristin's parents wanted to meet your parents, and your parents are in Tree Hill." She replied.

"Why anyone would want to meet my parents beats me."

"Your guess is as good as mine." Brooke adds.

Meanwhile, Taylor, Chris, Kenny, Lucas, Haley, and Nicole had just stepped off their plane. They quickly got their luggage, and got into the cabs they had ordered. Taylor and Chris and Kenny were going to stay at a hotel, and Lucas, Haley and Nicole were staying at Peyton and Jake's house. They pulled up to the house, and were greeted by Peyton running full speed at them.

"Oh my gosh! We haven't seen you guys in forever!"

"We were here at Christmas, Peyton." Lucas stated.

"So! That's 8 months! We missed you! Hey Hannah!"

"Actually, I'm Nicole." She spoke up.

Peyton looked at Haley for confirmation, and she nodded.

"I'll tell you the story when we are inside and unpacked."

"Yes! Of course!"

Jake and Jenny greeted them at the door.

"Hey man" Lucas and Jake both said, while hugging.

"Hey Jenny! Jake!" Haley squealed.

About an hour later, they were all sitting in the living room.

"Okay, so tell us the story!" Jenny exclaimed.

"So, Hannah and I-"

**REVIEW! pLease and thank you.**


	7. Tree Hill and All It's Glamor

**Okay. I promise Brooke and Lucas will hook up sooner or later. Not sure excatly when though. Ill add them in whenI can.**

**Chapter 7: Tree Hill and All of It's Glamor**

Nathan drove his rented Escalade into Tree Hill and gloomily looked around. Being back in Tree Hill was like having someone stick a knife in his heart, and then not dying. It was cruel and unusual punishment. It held too many memories. Bad ones that haunted his dreams at night, and good ones that were his nightmares. It had been eleven years since he had left and never came back. He had tried for so long to forget about her- no Tree Hill. Forget Tree Hill. But failed miserably. And as he drove past the rivercourt, the high school, the docks, all he could think about was her- no them. Them. The relationships he had failed miserably at.

"Oh look! There is Karen's Café!" Hannah stated.

Nathan's head snapped to look at her, tearing him from his thoughts. "Nicole, how do you know about Karen's?"

"I told her." Brooke said a little too quickly.

"Karen's? It looks so, grungy, babe. Did you eat there?" Kristin said, disgusted.

"Ah. Yes, he did. And Karen's Café is one of the best places in the city." Brooke told her, doing her best not to rip her head off.

"Doesn't say much, now does it?" She mumbled.

"Kristin. You haven't even been there. And I wouldn't go around saying things like that considering Nathan's mom is part-owner of it."

"Really? Nathan, you didn't tell me that."

He shrugged. "Didn't think it mattered much."

They all calmed down into a slightly awkward silence until they passed Peyton's house.

"Oh. My. God! Let me out! Now!" Brooke squealed.

"Brooke..." Nathan grumbled.

"No! I don't want to stay at the beach house, I want to stay with my best friend in the whole wide world. You coming ho?" She asked to Hannah.

"Sure. Bye dad." She said giving him a kiss on the cheek and getting her suitcase out of the back and following Brooke up the walk.

She was slightly surprised when Brooke just walked in, leaving her luggage by the door, and walking toward the living room, but she followed her anyway.

"So basically, I took Hannah's place-" Nicole was telling the story still.

"And I took hers." Hannah finished, announcing their presence.

"B. Davis!" Peyton squealed.

"P. Sawyer?" She squealed, ignoring everyone else and almost tackling Peyton as she hugged her.

"Actually it's Jagelski now." Jake corrected, standing up to hug her as well. Hannah walked over to Nicole and hugged her, then Jenny.

"WHAT! You two got married, and I wasn't even there."Brooke complained.

"We didn't have any idea where to send the invitation, and besides we kind of eloped. And we are a BIG one soon, so-"

"Okay! Peyton! You are done! Come here Brooke!" Haley shouted, ignoring Peyton when she stuck her tongue out at her.

"TUTORGIRL!" Brooke said, running at her.

"Hey, Tigger! Long time no see."

"Long time my ass. It was freaking forever." Brooke exaggerated. Haley laughed.

"And BROODY!" She said, moving over to hug him, trying to ignore the tingle that went up her spine as his arms wrapped around her back.

"Hey Cherry." He said, trying to keep from kissing her or something.

"Hey mom!" Hannah said.

"Hey baby!" She said, tearing up and pulling her into a hug.

"Hey mom!" Nicole laughed.

"Hey Nicole!" She said pulling her into the hug.

"Oh! Brookie wants in!" Brooke cried, wrapping her arms around Haley.

"Oh! Us too!" Peyton squealed as her and Jenny came into the hug.

"Lucas! There is a spot in between me and Haley!"

"Oh god! Put him somewhere else! I have been stuck with him for my entire life!"

"What are you complaining about! You got the good Scott! I had to deal with Nathan for eleven excruciating years!" She noticed Haley wince at his name. "Oh, sorry Haley."

"It's okay. Come on Jake! You too!"

"Ah. I'm good." He started, but Peyton yanked him in and there was an eight person hug in the middle of the living room.

"Oh crap!" Haley said as she leaned on Lucas, who leaned on Brooke, and then they slowly started falling. On top of Haley.

"Oh. Crap." Haley breathed out as she was at the bottom of a pile of people.

"Oh, Haley, you know you like the view of my boobs you are clearly getting right now." Brooke said.

"God Brooke! You'll poke my eye out with one of those." They both giggled.

"Okay! We have to go to Karen's now! I missed my mommy!" Haley said.

"YOUR mommy!" Lucas questioned.

"Shut up! You are just jealous."

"Right Hales. Whatever."

They all walked, except for Brooke and Haley, who practically ran, to Karen's Café. They walked in past the crowd, and to the counter.

"Haley?" Karen said loudly, which caused Deb to peak her head out as well.

She walked over to hug her, then saw Lucas over her shoulder, and hugged him. And then saw Brooke and hugged her.

And then saw both Nicole and Hannah, together.

"Nicole. This is your as-good as Grandma Karen."

Karen was crying as she wrapped her arms around her, and grinned when Nicole clung onto her.

Deb, who had finished hugging everyone, saw them.

"Oh my gosh." Deb sighed.

"Uh. Have you ever met Nicole?"

"Once, but she was maybe 5." She responded, as she flung herself at the two girls, crying hysterically.

"Deb, as in Deborah? As in my middle name?" Nicole asked, steading herself and Deb, who were tipping backwards.

"Yep." Haley responded.

"Well. This is a nice little family reunion." A voice drawled out from the doorway.

"Shut up Chris!" Haley, Hannah Lucas, and Taylor, who walked in behind him yelled.

"Sorry. I guess future in laws don't get much love in this family." Chris said reaching for Taylor's hand.

"No, we just don't love YOU." Haley replied.

"Oh baby, I love you." Taylor said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ew. Some of us want to keep down our airplane pretzels, thank you very much." Nicole commented.

They all laughed.

"So! How long are you guys in town?" Karen asked.

"A week. Haley has a show Wednesday, and then I have to be back for pre-season practice NEXT Wednesday, so we are staying until Sunday night."

"Good! Plenty of time to catch up." Karen said.

"So, Brooke. If you are here does that mean my screw up of a son is here too?" Deb asked.

"Uh, yeah it does." She said glancing nervously at Haley, who had closed her eyes in hopes that the act would make her invisible.

"Uh. I'll be back... later. I think." Haley said, walking out of the diner and down the familiar streets of Tree Hill.

"Haley! Haley wait up!" Someone shouted after her.

Haley didn't wait for whoever was calling her. Nor did she slow down. Being back in Tree Hill made her feel like she was back in high school, even at the age of 30. She was happy she could walk the streets without reporters or paparazzi or fans bothering her. She loved her fans, but missed walking down the streets without being mobbed. So many thoughts were circling in her head. 'Nathan. Twins together. Tree Hill. Family. Nathan.' It was like they were an annoying bug she kept swatting at, but wouldn't die.

"Haley.. We were calling for you! Why.. Why, didn't you stop?" Brooke and Peyton caught up to her.

"Maybe I didn't want to be caught." She knew she was coming off Bi8tchy, but she really didn't care.

"Haley, we are going to talk. Now." And they grabbed her arms and dragged her toward the nearest bench. They sat her down in between them and stared at her.

"What?" She exclaimed, noticing they were waiting for her to talk.

"Guys. I don't really know if I can do this again."

"Do what? See him, figure out a way for the girls to be together more? No one is asking you to get together again." Brooke stated.

"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing. We thought we closed the book on the Naley Saga a long time ago. But clearly we were wrong. You two are parents to two beautiful girls. So you will always have a role in the other's life."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"Well. I was. But then I figured the truth would be better."

"Thanks." She grumbled sarcastically.

"Look. Haley, do you still love Nathan?" Peyton asked.

"No! I absolutely repulse him! He makes me crazy!" Haley exclaimed, catching odd looks from an elderly couple passing by.

"Then why is this such a big deal?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know."

"Haley. It will be fine. I promise."

"You know what! You guys are right!" She said.

"Of course we are Tutorgirl! You are good at school and singing, and we are good at relationships!"

"What! We're no better than her! Look at you: Still pining over Lucas after all of these years."

"WHAT! AM NOT!"

"Brooke."

"Alright maybe just a little." She admitted softly.

"Thank you." Peyton said, satisfied.

"Right. So its Monday night, in Tree Hill, and we are three women who currently are in possession of no kids, and no significant others! What are we going to do!" Brooke asked, excited.

"Eat junk food?" Haley offered.

"Listen to music?"

"NO! Girls! Party! Duh! Wow, we are getting old!"

"Don't even start with the 'O' word Brooke Davis!"

"Sorry. Lets go!"

**Thanks for reviewing!**

**Katie**


	8. Now?

Okay guys-- Im sorry my uds are taking so long now. I just started tennis practice. So... yeah.

Hope you all like it! THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS- THEY KEEP ME WRITING!

**Chapter 8**: Now?

The girls walked into Tric like they owned the place. Well, technically Peyton did own half. They passed a long line of teenagers wanting to get in, who seemed to realize who Haley was and sort of freaked out. Brooke and Peyton thought it was hilarious and couldn't stop saying "Yes, we ARE with Haley James." While Haley was sort of annoyed, fans are cool, fans that attract the stalkerazzi we're a pain.

"Is it always like that Haley?" Peyton asked, once they were inside and in a secluded booth.

"In New York? Yeah, pretty much. But at least there weren't creepy old men with cameras taking pictures of me getting a coffee. It's like, I have the most boring life, who would want to read about me?"

"Not me!" Brooke joked.

"Thanks!"

"No problem. But you'll always be Tutorgirl to me Haley James."

"That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time."

"What can I say? I have a way with words."

"You most certainly do."

"Yep. I need a drink." Brooke blurted out. "What do you guys want?"

"I don't know Brooke.." Haley started

"Yeah, Brooke I don't know..." Peyton agreed.

"Okay, Three martinis it is." She said, quickly walking away before they could protest.

"Doesn't change much, does she?" Haley asked.

"Who? Brooke? No, Brooke can't change. She's too busy being herself." Peyton told her.

"That's a good way to put it." Haley laughed.

Brooke came back with their drinks and they talked about their lives for an hour or so. Peyton told them she still worked for the newspaper, drawing political cartoons, and ran Tric. Brooke told them she had become a fashion designer, and was hoping to open her own line soon. They already knew Haley was the big grammy winning artist they all knew she'd become.

MEANWHILE-

"Nathan! I am sooo bored!" Kristin whined as she watched Nathan play basketball at the Rivercourt.

"You wanna play?"

"Nathan, you know I don't play."

"Come on, I'll teach you."

"No. Baby, I'd break a nail. Can't we just go shopping or to a nice restaurant? They do have those here don't they?"

"Yes. Of course they do. And I have to practice, why don't you go find Brooke? She'd want to shop." He suggested.

"You do know Brooke hates me right? Besides, I don't know this town at all."

Nathan sighed before putting the basketball back into it's hiding place underneath the picnic table. They drove back to the beach house that Deb had let him use, and he showered. Kristin started to look around, and noticed a picture of Nathan and some really gorgeous blonde boy. 'I wonder if he has money? Probably a better deal than the raw one I'm getting now, I don't want a kid... I'll just ship her off to boarding school.' Nathan came down in jeans and a polo.

"Baby, who is that?" She asked, indicating to the picture.

"Oh, uh, that's my brother. Well, half-brother. But we don't talk anymore. I haven't seen him in years."

"Really? That must be so hard." She cooed fakely, rubbing his shoulders.

"Uh, not really. It's not like I hate him. He just lives in New York, and well, seeing him is kind of out of the question."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Not important. Anyways. We should go to Karen's. I really want to see my mom." He told her, getting up and walking toward the door.

Kristin groaned, 'Oh, the things I do for love. Or money. Whatever.' She laughed.

They arrive at Karen's Café a few minutes later, and are immediately greeted by a already teary-eyed Deb. She knew Nathan didn't know about Haley or the girls, they had explained it all after Brooke, Peyton, and Haley left.

"Hi, Mom." He greeted.

"Oh, honey! It's so good to see you! We missed you so much. And you should have called more." She half-scolded, half-greeted.

"Uh, mom this is Kristin, my fiancé." He informed.

"Hello, Mrs. Scott. So good to finally meet you." Deb almost laughed at the girl in front of her. She was completely fake, from her voice to her blonde hair. The girls had warned her about her. And she almost didn't believe it, she couldn't picture Nathan with anyone other than Haley. At first she didn't support them, for the pure reason she was jealous, but she came to realize that Nathan was truly happy with her, and she never fully understood why they split up. But she doubted they knew the reason themselves.

"Oh, hello, Kristin."

"Mom, Kristin's parents really want to meet you and dad."

"Well, of course, if we have time. You know your father and all of his functions." She smiled.

"Oh, come on mom. We are only here for the week. I'm sure you can find some time to spend with us."

"I'll try. So where is Nicole?"

"With Brooke, who is probably with Peyton."

"Probably."

Nicole, Hannah, and Lucas walked through the street of Tree Hill getting a tour by a true Tree Hillian.

"...That's the Rivercourt. When your mother and I were younger she would watch me and my friends play basketball for hours. And then later your father and I would play and Haley would get mad because she couldn't decide who to cheer for..." He laughed.

"...And that's the high school. But lets not go in just yet, we have all week for that. It might give me too much of a memory shock..."

"...And that was your mother's house growing up..."

"...This is the bridge you would have to cross to get to the "rich" side of town..."

"...That is the Scott mansion, which I am not really sure who owns it at this point. I am pretty sure Dan and Deb worked everything out, I'll have to ask Keith. And that is Brooke's parent's house. It doesn't look like their home though. They never were..."

"Uncle Lucas? Why do you always talk about Brooke?" Nicole asked.

"Huh?"

"Why do you always talk about Brooke!"

He squinted at them, before sighing and walking away.

"Oooo! Uncle Lucas is in LOOOOVE!" Hannah teased.

"Shut up." He muttered, walking quickly back to Peyton's house.

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	9. All Falls Down

Okay One Tree Hill-billes! Lol THE CHAPTER U"VE BEEN WAITING FOR: Naley meets again!

And Brucas is thrown in at the end too...

By the way. I love the song that is the title and part of the story(end and beginning). If you don't know it, I dislike you. Just kidding Its by Kanye West.Whom i also love.

**Chapter 9: All Falls Down**

_Oh when it all, it all falls down  
I'm telling you ohh, it all falls down_

The following day, Nathan was out for a run. Normally, he would run down the beach, but he hadn't been to Tree Hill in so long, and so against his better judgement, he ran through town. He was painfully reminded of everything he had given up, just so he could play basketball.

Haley was walking down the street, coming back from Karen's. She was completely engrossed in some paperwork, and barely aware of her surroundings.

Nathan was running on the other side of the street when he saw her. He stopped. 'It can't be. Not now. It isn't. That's not her, you are just imagining it," He thought. But as she almost ran into a man, he saw her smile as she brushed the fair out of her face, and he knew instantly it was her. He immediately started walking toward her, completely ignoring everything else around him.

Haley was trying to pick the papers that had fallen when she accidently ran into a man when she heard tires squeal, and a horn honk. She looked up to see Nathan apologizing to the driver, and continue to walk toward her.

Hannah and Nicole, who were helping out at Karen's heard the tires and came out to see what happened, they stopped when they saw Nathan approaching Haley.

"Hi, Hales." He says, with a embarrassed smile on his face.

"Hello Nathan." She greets, uncomfortably.

"What, um... What are you doing here?" He asks, in disbelief.

"You don't know...?" She inquired.

"Uh... no..."

"I can explain that one mom-" Hannah told her, stepping in.

"Wait, mom? Nicole, you know who that is...?" He asked, confusion evident in his face.

"Yes, and I'm NOT Nicole-" Hannah says.

"I am." Nicole says, stepping over to her mother's other side.

"Bboth? Both of them?" He muttered in shock.

"Yeah. Remember that camp that I go to every year?" She asks. He nods.

"Well, Mom decided to send me to it." Hannah told him, sending a short glare at Haley.

"Sorry!" Haley mumbled.

"So... this all means what?"

"They switches places on us Nate." She clarified.

"Yeah, I wanted to FINALLY know my mom..." Nicole started.

"And I wanted to FINALLY know my dad. Are you angry?" Hannah asked

"Of course not! It scares me a little, to know my kids are smart enough to pull something like this at twelve, but slightly proud." He laughs.

Haley rolls her eyes, still conceited like always.

"Did you know about this?" He directed at Haley.

"Yes. Lucas and I figured it out."

"Lucas? Is he here?"

The girls giggle.

"What, did I miss something?" He asks.

"Well, apparently a lot of 'somethings'. But him and Brooke took a 'walk' to 'catch up...'" Haley laughed.

"Hmm.. Interesting. So Nicky, you've been in New York!"

"Yeah! It was awesome!" She said, giving Nathan a hug.

"And.. I've had you, all week?" He asks Hannah.

"Duh! A little slow today, aren't we?" She says, giving him a hug as well.

"A little..." He admits laughing. "How about you girls let your mother and me talk now."

"Nathan. You do realize you are bleeding right?" Haley tells him, gesturing to his right arm.

"It's fine..."

"No, it's not, here. Sit." She says, pulling him down onto a bench. She digs through her purse, before finding one of those packaged wipes they give you at restaurants, and a band-aide.

"That stings!" He shouts when she puts the wipe on his cut.

"Oh, be quiet, you big baby." She laughs.

"I'm the baby? I remember a certain girl freaking out in the hospital because she had to have a finger poke." He smirked.

"I happen to HATE hospitals!" She defended.

"I know. I remember the day the girls were born. That was fun wasn't it?" He sighed gloomily.

"Don't remind me!" She shuddered.

"So, I see you haven't changed much." He changes the subject, giving her a lookover.

"Yeah, and you are still a egotistical jerk." She smiles fakely.

"Ahh.. Hales, I'm hurt.-" He stated.

"NATEY! There you are!" A high voice shouts behind them.

"Natey?" Haley asks laughing, and Nathan cringes.

"Hi, honey." Nathan says, putting on a smile.

Haley's smile falls.

"Oh... my... gosh!" Kristin squeals. "You're Haley James."

"Guilty." Haley says.

"You should sing at our wedding! Shouldn't she Natey!" She smiles.

"Uh... what.. whatever..." He mumbles.

"Am I missing something?" Kristin asks.

"Yes. You are." Nicole says from behind her.

"Oh, Hi Nicky!"

"Don't call me that." She tells her coldly.

"Okay." Kristin sighs.

"So what am I missing?"

"Uh. Did I ever, uh, mention, that Nicky uh..?" Nathan stutters..

"Was a twin?" Hannah finishes, walking next to Nicole.

"Um. No. I don't think you did."

"Oh. Well. See is."

"Right... so you know her, how?" She asks, pointing to Haley.

"Haley is my ex-wife." He says, playing with his hands like he used to when they were married.

"Ex-wife!"

"Oh, my my my! This is QUITE the little town isn't it."

Haley and Nathan laugh.

"You have no idea." Haley laughs. "Come on girls, lets leave your father and uh, Kristin alone.

"Thanks for the warning on the fiancé thing." Haley scolds, as they walk back toward Karen's.

"Sorry, mom." They both say.

"Yeah, and for TELLING him I was here. That might of helped too."

"Sorry." The mumbled again.

"What might have helped?" Deb asks.

"Oh, you know, telling me that Nathan is ENGAGED!"

"You met her?" She cringes.

"Yeah! She looks like a good time!" Haley rolls her eyes, forgetting her daughters were sitting next to her.

"I don't like her. She doesn't seem very smart, she has the worst personality I have ever seen, and everything on her is just, fake."

"Sounds like Nathan would like her." She sighed, throwing stirring straws on the counter.

"See, I don't understand. Why WOULD Nathan love her?"

"I can come up with a few reasons." She laughed hollowly.

"Haley... he did fall for you, and you are the exact opposite of her."

"Maybe that's why he wants her." She stated truthfully. She was everything Haley wasn't. Blonde, big boobs, cheerful, probably a lot better in bed. 'Why do I even care! I don't love him! I don't!'

**MEANWHILE–**

Brooke and Lucas walked down the streets of Tree Hill discussing their lives, and reminiscing.

"Remember the day Haley told us she was pregnant?" Brooke asks, as they sit down on the bleachers of the Rivercourt.

"Of course. We all thought she was kidding since her and Nathan weren't together then."

"Yeah. And then she said she was serious and you almost choked on your bagel." She laughs.

"Did they ever tell you why they split up?" He asks.

"Nope. All I got was "Brooke. It's over." And you know me, I NEEDED details, but I never got them. And I don't expect too. YOU didn't did you?"

"Nah. Except I got "LUCAS, I HATE YOUR BROTHER!"" He laughs.

"It was too bad too, because- I know it sounds stupid,- but with all of the failed relationships around me, they were like the one couple I could look at and say: "Hey! If tutorgirl and Hot Shot can fall in love, then maybe, just maybe you can too." Ya know?"

"Yeah. I do." He said, looking at her and how beautiful she looked as she stared out at the rivercourt.

"Hey. Remember the night in the summer after graduation when we had that huge party here?"

"Yeah! And we got busted by the cops, and Teresa who was completely smashed asked the cops if they wanted to have sex?"

"That was soo funny! And then Tim volunteered and they went back to his place?"

"AHH... the night Tim finally lost his virginity! It will go down in the history books!" He laughed.

Brooke looked down at her watch.

"Well, Mr. Scott. I think it's time we headed home."

"Yeah.. Okay." He says. "Hey, Brooke?"

"Yeah?" She says, turning around.

"What do you think would have happened between us, if we hadn't gone to separate colleges?"

"I... don't know..."

"Didn't you ever wonder?"

"Well, of course I did, but Lucas, do you really think we would have made it through college together? I mean, I wasn't exactly June Cleaver in college."

"Yeah, but you were single. I think it would have been different if we were together." He tells her.

"Lucas.. Don't do this.." She warns, holding back tears.

"Don't do what? Tell you I love you? Because I do, Brooke. I always have. And hell! I probably always will!"

_Oh when it all, it all falls down  
I'm telling you ohh, it all falls down_

**CLIFFHANGER! Sorry. Had to. It's my job. Yep Yep Yep! I am REALLY hyper right now lol!**

**Thanks for the reviews:**

**Brucas4ever:** I hope i supplied your Brucas, sorry for the cliffhanger!

**Treehillgirl323: **Indeed, the naley encounter was in this chapter. Brucas is indeed in this chapter, but Im not yet sure about the whole story. We'll see how it goes. I am changing alot of this story.And as for the dan/Kristin thing: It's a good guess, but I won't tell you yet. I have to keep my biggest secrets underwraps. And yes. Fake slut does describe Kristin well.

**RoseRows:** Yes. Nathan is strangely in love with this girl... WHY? Hmm.. Why does my grandmotherbake cookies and then feed them to herdog, when she could have given them to me? It's one of the many mysteries of lifeI guess.

**SAMMEJAMME: **Update in bulk? What fun would that be? Just kidding. I will try to update more..

Katie


	10. Hometown HoeDown

So this is a LONG chapter! But I won't be able to UD until probably next week.

**Chapter 9: Hometown Hoe-Down**

Brooke just stood there, staring at him. She should leave. Now. Before things got complicated and she gets her heart broken, again. But she couldn't. Lucas Scott was her first true love, her high school sweetheart. The truth was, she loved him too, after all this time, she figured if she could ignore him, it would go away, but it didn't. I mean, she lived with his brother for god sakes! There wasn't much reprieve for memories when you heard his last name ever other minute of your life. But the fear was there, it had always been. Ever since Peyton and him had cheated on her, it was always in the back of her mind, he did it once, who's to say he won't do it again? Even if it's not with her best friend.

She looked up into his eyes. They were pleading with her to say something, anything, she couldn't. Her tears started falling harder and her sobs were making her shoulders shake.

Lucas reached up and wiped the tears off her face. And pulled her shaking form into him.

"Brooke... please don't cry.." He begged.

"Lucas, I just... I don't think I can again." She told him quietly.

"Brooke. I never stopped loving you. I always have. And I think we can do it. We are older now, more mature, I'm not a stupid jackass anymore." He added, omitting a snort of laughter from Brooke.

"I, um..." She paused. "I love you too." She declared before she could stop herself.

Lucas picked her up and spun her around, kissing passionately.

--

Haley awoke Wednesday morning to Kenny and Chris rolling her out of bed. She muttered her angry good morning, before getting in the shower. She walked into the kitchen where everyone was eating breakfast.

"This concert is going to be huge. So many people bought tickets, we had to open another section to accommodate everyone. Is your whole town coming?" Kenny said, taking a big bite of his waffle, before his cell phone rang and he left the room to answer it.

"Anything left for me?" Haley asks, looking over the food on the table.

"Barely." Lucas says, mouth full.

"Gross Lucas. Mouth closed next time."

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"Haley, you ready for the concert?" Kenny asks, reentering.

"I'm nervous. I haven't preformed in Tree Hill in a long time."

"...And your voice is off-key, and you are playing sloppy, and..." Chris started, earning a slap on the back of the head. "It's true." He mumbled.

"Hales. You'll be fine." Lucas reassured.

"Yeah, mom. You'll do great!" Hannah encouraged.

"We have to go now, Haley." Kenny says.

"It's only nine!" Haley objects.

"We have a lot of work to do."

"Alright..." She agreed, kissing Hannah and Nicole and telling everyone else goodbye, before following Kenny to the car.

She was used to this by now. Before, she wouldn't sleep for days they had her working so much. She'd go from an interview to a concert to another interview. But when she ended up in a hospital a few years back due to exhaustion, she demanded to have more down time. It still gets a little crazy when she's releasing an album, but nothing life-threatening anymore.

Nathan and Kristin came into Peyton's kitchen about twenty minutes after Haley and Kenny left. They exchanged hello's and Nathan took a bagel off the table.

"Natey, you just ate. Too many carbs can make you fat." Kristin told him.

"Natey?" Lucas inquired. Nathan blushed as the table suppressed their laughs.

"Excuse me, Kristin. We don't use the word 'fat' in our house, it creates negative body images." Peyton lied.

"Yes, we do-" Jenny started, but Peyton nudged her. "Yes, um, we don't use it here."

"My apologies." She said sweetly, before rolling her eyes.

"When is mom gonna be back?" Nicole whined.

"Never. She left FOREVER Nicole! She's never coming back either!" Hannah exclaimed sarcastically.

"That wasn't funny Hannah. Seriously?"

"She isn't. We'll see her at the concert." She stated more seriously, taking a huge bite of her breakfast.

"Yeah. She needs all the practice she can get." Chris sniggered, earning his second slap.

"Pass the milk!" Jenny shouted.

"There are way too many people in here!" Brooke commented, trying to squeeze out behind Lucas's chair, but he stopped her, pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. "Good Morning Gorgeous." He whispered in her ear. Hannah threw a roll at them.

"Get a room!" Nicole said.

"No throwing food, Nicole." Nathan scolded.

"I didn't throw it! That was Hannah!"

"DID NOT!" She countered.

"DID TOO!"

"ALRIGHT! Neither of you throw food!" He shouted.

"Woah!" Hannah whispered, and silence fell over the table.

"So, you girls want to go shopping this afternoon?" Kristin asked.

"Not with you..." Nicole muttered.

"No." Hannah answered more clearly. "Mom's show, remember?"

"Oh, how could I forget." She smiled.

"How about we go to that new store that just opened down by the docks."' Jenny suggested.

"Good idea! Dad money." Nicole demanded, holding out her hand.

"Here." He said, giving them two one hundred dollar bills, absent-mindedly.

The three left and Jake let out a sigh.

"Ahh... Peace at last."

Nathan sat down at Hannah's vacant spot, and poured himself some orange juice.

"Nate. You do realize you just gave three teenagers two hundred dollars, right?" Luke asked, once he knew the girls were gone.

"What, that can buy them like a dress right?"

"Maybe in LA, but not in Tree Hill."

"So what. Nothing good is in Tree Hill anyway. Maybe like Lingerie." Brooke says.

Nathan and Jake looked panicked at Brooke's last words.

"Calm down. I didn't go into those stores until I was thirteen."

"Brooke. Jenny is thirteen." Jake worried.

"Well, then just be glad I wasn't a influence on your child." She shrugged, Nathan groaned.

"Oh, please. Nicole knows not to be like me, she does have SOME Haley in her. Poor kid."

"What's wrong with Haley?" Luke asked.

"Tutormommy? Nothing. Just a little, tutormommy-sish. That's all." She calmed.

"Yeah. If I knew what that meant at all." He grumbled.

"Tutormommy?" Kristin questioned.

"It's a nickname." Brooke glared. She really despised that woman.

"Why..."

"She was Nathan's tutor. And we- I didn't know her real name, so I called her tutorgirl. Then they got married, tutorwife. Then Nathan knocked her up, tutormommy. Got it?" She explained coldly.

She looked over at Nathan. "You needed a tutor?" She asked, almost disgusted.

"Uh. Sorta."

Lucas cleared his throat. "No. I used her. Sorta." He mumbled.

"How do you 'sorta' use someone?"

"Uh. I wanted to get back at Lucas. Because I was hated him."

"Why...?"

"LOOK! CAN WE JUST NOT TALK ABOUT IT! It was a long time ago!" He roared, before storming out of the house. The rest of the table stared blankly at Kristin.

"What?" She asked defensively.

"You just made him upset, don't you think that you should go after him?" Lucas asked.

"No. He's mad at me. Why would I?"

"Because you should talk it over!" Peyton exclaimed, this bit0ch was starting to piss her off.

She shrugged and left. But didn't go after Nathan.

"You know. I'm trying really hard to find the good in her, for Nathan's sake, but I can't find anything. I wonder what Nathan sees in her?" Peyton says.

"Not sure. But I know exactly what she sees in him. 6.5 million a year contract." Brooke replies.

--

At the concert that night, Haley had gotten them all front row seats and backstage passes. It was set up outside in a park, and was raising money for cancer.

"15 'till show, Ms. James." One of the interns shouted nervously at her.

"Okay!" She shouted back, over her hair, makeup, and wardrobe who were in full-blown show mode, rushing and yelling at people.

"MOM! Where are you!" Hannah screamed into the dressing room.

"Over there, babe." Marc, Haley's hair stylist, pointed, as he walked past, carrying a box of hair products.

"Thanks, Marc. Come on, guys." She ordered.

"Babe?" Nicole asked.

"Don't tell me you haven't met a gay guy before. Look around. Any man wearing shiny shoes and hair gelled to perfection in this room is gay."

"Thanks for the info..." She muttered, looking around in awe. Everything was moving so quickly. And no one seemed to care that everyone was being rude to everyone else."

"HALEY! GET YOUR FAT A/SS INTO THESE JEANS NOW!" A shiny-shoed, hair gelled man screamed. Haley looked at him. He softened. "Please?"

Haley walked over, clad in only her lacy black thong, and slipped them on.

"AHHH! MY EYES!" Lucas wailed at the sight.

"Hey, guys." She greeted warmly, exhaustion evident in her eyes.

"Hey, mom-"

"Sorry, babe. You're momma can't talk now!" A pretty blonde said, yanking Haley into a chair, and started applying her makeup.

"Marc...!" Hannah started, sweetness oozing out of her voice.

"What do you want Hann?" He asked, knowing her tone.

"Will you do our hair?" She asked, putting on her irresistible face.

"Of course!" He exclaimed.

After they all had their hair done, they took their seats and waited for the show to begin. The guest announcer talked about the foundation, and then introduced the opening act. It was a young girl, maybe 19, by the name of Ashley Hunter. She sang Jessica Simpson's song, Angels. She had an amazing voice. After her song, the announcer came back out, and surprisingly announced Marvin McFadden. "MOUTH! WE LOVE YOU!" Lucas shouted, he must of heard him, because he waved, blinking into the lights.

"Good evening." He started. "I am one of the few lucky people to have known Haley James since we were kids. When I was younger I used to tape everything. I was the coolest AV geek at Tree Hill High. And as most of you who know Tree Hill is Haley's hometown. (Cheers erupted from the crowd.) So in honor of her homecoming, with a little help from her coolest family and friends, we put together a video, capturing Haley, being, well, Haley. So without further ado..." He turned on a video that played behind him on a huge screen. It was set to the song "Mayberry" by Rascal Flatts.

_Sometimes it feels like this world is spinning faster _**(Shot of Haley Spinning around in a chair at a party in High School)**_  
Than it did in the old days _**(Stops spinning, she is maybe 12)**_  
So naturally we have more natural disasters _**(Shot of Taylor)**_  
From the strain of a fast pace _**(Taping of dressing room before a show.)**_  
Sunday was the day of rest _**(Shot of Haley sleeping on a couch.)**_  
Now its one more day for progress _**(Haleybeing given a To- Do list from Kenny)  
**_But we can't slow down (_**Haley running after Lucas on Rivercourt.)  
**_Cause more is best _**(Shot of Haley in the middle of everyone at a high school party)  
**_All in the process _

But I miss Mayberry **Shot of 'Welcome to Tree Hill sign)  
**_Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke _**(Shot of Haley and Lucas when they were 9, drinking frozen cokes in their bathing suits)**_  
Where everything was black & white  
Pickin on a Six String _**(Haley singing at Tric)  
**_People pass by and you call them by their first name _**(Haley waving Hello to Karen)  
**_Watching the clouds roll by _**(Lucas and Haley laying on their backs on the Rivercourt)  
**_bye bye _

Sometimes I can hear this whole world stopping **(Haley and Hannah hugging)  
**_Through the trees as the wind blows  
Thats when I climb up here on this mountain _**Haley and the rivercourt guys sitting on the bleachers)  
**_And look through God's window _

No I can't fly **(Haley on a swing set when she was little.)  
**_I've got to be  
To get me high up here  
Far from the noise and city streets _**(Shot of New York)  
**_My world receives the peace _

But I miss Mayberry **(Tree Hill High School sign)  
**_Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke _**(_Nathan and Haley sitting on couch at a party, drinking.)  
_**_Where everything was black & white _**(Haley singing and dancing with a broom in Karen's Cafe)  
**_Pickin on a Six String _**(Haley and Jake playing guitar)**_  
People pass by and you call them by their first name _**(Haley, Brooke, and Peyton wave to people as they walked down a street.) **_  
bye bye _

Sometimes I dream I'm driving down an old dark road **(Haley driving)  
**_Not even listed on the map  
I pass a dad and his son carrying a fishing poll _**(Lucas trying to teach Haley to fish off the bridge)  
**_But I always wake up everytime I try to turn back _

But I miss Mayberry **(Nathan kissing Haley's neck, Haley giggling)  
**_Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke  
Where everything was black & white _**(Nathan, Haley, and Hannah and Nicole as babies)  
**_Pickin on a Six String _**(Haley singing to the twins as babies)  
**_People pass by and you call them by their first name  
Watching the clouds roll by _**(Haley driving away from Tree Hill)  
**_bye bye_ **(Haley sitting in between Nathan and Lucas on a couch. She is laughing and blowing kisses to the camera, Lucas is waving, as Nathan kisses Haley's cheek)**

**(A black screen rolls up, saying "To Haley's Hometown", then "The End")**

The audience roars with applause, and Haley walks out, crying, and hugs Mouth. "Thank You." She whispers in his ear.

"No problem, Haley." He laughs, and walks off stage.

"You are SO doing my next music video Mouth!" She says into the microphone. Then turns to the crowd.

"HOW ARE YOU TREE HILL!" She screams, the crowd roars again. "Okay. So it's good to be back in my hometown. Of course. But remember, there is a reason we are doing this concert, NO! It's not just for fun. We are raising money for breast cancer! So make sure you buy a wristband, or donate." She says, sitting in the piano chair, then flashing the pink wristband she was sporting.

"So this song, is one of my favorites! I sang it at our senior prom, and It's.. just.. an awesome song. I haven't sang it since, but I figure, what better place to sing it then your hometown!" The crowd cheers more.

_Hmm  
There's a hero  
If you look inside your heart  
You don't have to be afraid  
Of what you are  
There's an answer  
If you reach into your soul  
And the sorrow that you know  
Will melt away _

And then a hero comes along  
With the strength to carry on  
And you cast your fears asideAnd you know you can survive  
So when you feel like hope is gone  
Look inside you and be strong  
And you'll finally see the truth  
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road  
When you face the world alone  
No one reaches out a hand  
For you to hold  
You can find love  
If you search within yourself  
And the emptiness you felt  
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along  
With the strength to carry on  
And you cast your fears aside  
And you know you can survive  
So when you feel like hope is gone  
Look inside you and be strong  
And you'll finally see the truth  
That a hero lies in you

Oh oooh  
Lord knows  
Dreams are hard to follow  
But don't let anyone  
Tear them away, hey yeah  
Hold on  
There will be tomorrow  
In time  
You'll find the way

And then a hero comes along  
With the strength to carry on  
And you cast your fears aside  
And you know you can survive  
So when you feel like hope is gone  
Look inside you and be strong  
And you'll finally see the truth  
That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you  
Mhhh  
That a hero lies in  
You...

She finished the song and sang a few others, before walking off stage, and Chris came on after her. Then Jake came on and sang "Butterfly Kisses." By Bob Carlisle

When the concert was over, they all went home in Nathan's Escalade, but it was silent. All thinking different things.

"She sounded so amazing. And that video, we looked so happy. No, you aren't supposed to be thinking these things. You are getting married. And not to her." Nathan thought.

"So this Haley girl is my competition now? Well, I'm not letting her get in the way of MY money." Kristin thought.

**That was it. I know a lot! I hope you got the video thing...**

**I have like 0 time to do the whole review answer thing so..**


	11. The Redodate

**Information: Parts of this are from Parent Trap.Most are not. UH, the "date" isn't a copy of their first date, its like a close-to kinda deal.**

**Chapter 10: The Redo- Date**

"Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Scott." Kristin greets as her parents, Nathan, Deb, Dan, Nicole, and Hannah sit down for lunch at a very fancy restaurant.

"Hi." Dan bites back shortly. "So what exactly is the meaning of this little get-together?" He asks, not wasting any of his time.

"We just wanted to meet you, since the wedding is nearing and all. Having our new family together couldn't hurt." Kristin's mother, Janus, smiles.

"Hmm. Couldn't we have just met you at the wedding?" Dan asks rudely. The twins and Deb try to hide their smiles.

"DAD! Come on. Can't this be nice, or do you have to ruin it?" Nathan exclaimed.

"I wish he would..." Nicole mumbles to Hannah.

"Sorry, son." He apologized fakely, flashing the famous Scott smirk. He looked over to Kristin's dad, his name was Frank. He looked like his wife had him on a pretty short leash, he hadn't said a word. He was staring across the table, trying to read the newspaper that a man at the table behind them was reading. Dan was almost happy for him. He didn't have to talk, he was expected to sit there and look good. He looked over at the twins, he deduced didn't really like Kristin. Who would? And he was supposed to sit here and chat with these people? There were so many things better he could be doing. He looked over at Deb, he knew she didn't like his son's fiancé. She had bit)ched about her all night long. He reminded himself to make sure Nathan had her sign a pre-nup. Now, he almost wished he'd marry Haley, again. They weren't horrible together, she wouldn't take his money, and it'd look good if Nathan married the mother of his children. Then again, Kristy, no, Kristin, would be a nice trophy wife.

"Grandpa! Hello...!" Hannah muttered, and she elbowed him.

"Huh..?"

"Get. Us. Out. Of. Here." She grumbled, threw her smile. He looked over at Kristin and Nathan, who had really excited faces on. He had missed something.

"WHAT!" Nicole shouted, standing up, and attracting the attention of the rest of the restaurant.

"Nicky-" Nathan started

"No! Don't Nicky me, DAD! I find out that you are getting married, to someone you met not even three months ago, and now you guys decide to get married this weekend! That's crazy! You don't know her!" She ranted, before storming from the room, and running out of the building, closely followed by Hannah, who merely shook her head at them before running after her sister.

"Well. I think that went well. I guess I'll see you at the wedding." Dan smirked again. "Come on, Deb."

"Goodbye Nathan, Kristin. And it was good meeting you both." She smiled at Janus and Frank.

"Your family hates me." Kristin cried, even though she couldn't care less.

"No, they don't they just need to get used to you, that's all. Trust me, once they see what I see, they will love you!" He reasoned.

--

(Later that night)

"You owe me dad. You are going, I don't care what you say."

"I don't owe you for getting married. I'd think you'd be happy for me."

"Oh, right... happy." She mumbles.

"NICOLE AND DAD! Are you coming?" Hannah yells into the kitchen, where they were. "MOM? Let's go people! Move! Move! MOVE!"

"Relax, Hann. We are thirty minutes early." Nicole reasons, walking into the room, followed by a grumpy Nathan.

"I just want tonight to be perfect."

"It's not going to be if I kill you for yelling."

"Dad. Stop acting like a petulant child, you are going." Hannah scolds.

"MOM! Let's go!" She screams up the stairs again.

"I'm coming! Brooke, where are my shoes?" She calls.

"They are mine, and in the closet." Brooke calls back, walking down the stairs, rolling her eyes. "Okay, girls. I finally got your mom up to damn-you-look-hot status, although I was aiming for drop-dead gorgeous."

"Ah.. Thanks Brooke." The girls say.

"No problem. It was fun torturing her again. God, she acts like eye shadow is her worst enemy. I would NOT want to be her makeup artist."

Haley appears at the top of the stairs. She has on a simple black dress, that hugs her body perfectly, strappy black high heels, pastel pink jewelry, and a black clutch. She is trying to rush and get her right high heel on, but failing miserably.

"Where, are, we–" She stutters, before tripping and rolling forward down the stairs, Brooke and the twins laugh hysterically, and Nathan rushes over to help her up.

"Are you okay, Hales?"

"Fine, I'm fine." She laughs. "Where are we going?"

"Can't tell. It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises." Haley mumbles.

"We know! Now, lets go." Hannah directs, leading them out the door.

"Brooke! Do you know where we are going?" Haley whispers, pleadingly, as Brooke tries to close the door behind her.

"Yes! But am I going to tell you? No. So leave. And please don't hate me... It was the girls idea."

"What was? And aren't you coming?"

"Nope. Lucas and I have a date, so leave already!" She replies, closing the door on Haley.

"Damn." She quietly curses to herself. "This should be interesting."

"Mom? You coming?" Nicole asks, hanging out the car window.

"Yeah..."

"Okay! We're here!" Nicole says, getting out of the car.

"The Café? This is your big surprise?"

"Shut up, dad. And no. It's not. This is." She says, handing him a white envelope. "No! Don't open it yet! Give me your car keys. Okay, now, Brooke told us about your first date. So, we decided that it was TOTALLY unfair that Dad screwed it up, like everything he does, and so with Uncle Luke and Brooke's help, we set up another one. Have fun!" She tells them, before they run into Karen's and lock them out. Haley starts to laugh, and Nathan stands there holding the envelope, dumbfounded.

"What is so funny?" He bites. "They set us up! I am engaged you know!"

"I know. But I think it's funny that Nicole thinks you are a screw up!" She giggles, bending over in fits of laughter. Nathan pouts, before joining her in her laughter.

"So.. What does the card say?" She asks, after composing herself.

" 'Convince her to go.' " He smirks. "So, how am I doing?"

"Not well. I haven't heard one single reason why I should go to dinner with a screw up like yourself."

"Well, us screw ups are pretty good looking, we tend to be decent dates, until we screw up that is, and I have a lot of money..."

"That was pathetic. What does the second card say?"

" 'Walk to the docks, and on the way tell each other three things about your favorite daughters.' " He reads.

"Hmm... the egos those two have..." Haley laughs.

"Shall we, Ms. James?" He asks, extending his arm for her to grab.

"We shall, Mr. Scott." She mocks, grabbing his arm.

"So.. You first."

"Okay, so Hannah loves watching Law and Order SVU, and eating junk food, her favorite book is 'Whale Talk,' by Chris Crutcher, and she is an excellent cook." Haley recites easily.

"Um. Okay. So, Nicole likes basketball and getting into trouble, hates history, but loves math... um... and she loves Goo Goo Dolls, Kanye West, and Jason Mraz." Nathan says.

"I see. My feet hurt. Why would Brooke put me in high heels if she knew we would be walking? I hate high heels..." She complains.

"I thought you'd be over that by now."

"What?"

"Let's see, not being able to walk in high heels without falling, complaining about them, and being stubborn about getting dressed up."

"I AM NOT STUBBORN! And you trying wearing high heels..."

"I have never heard another woman complain about dressing up or wearing high heels as much as you."

"I don't care about other women. I care about how badly my feet hurt, and how hideous I look in this dress."

"You look beautiful Haley..." He groaned, walking faster toward the picnic table they sat at during their study sessions.

"Wait for me..!" She exclaims, a little taken back by her ex-husband's compliment.

"I can't find the card..." He starts.

"Because it's in the bag that is in my hand." She giggles. " 'The breakfast of Champions, and a trick or two, open them up to find your next clue.' " She reads.

"What is this, a scavenger hunt now? Give me those..." He grumbles, tearing the Cracker Jack box from her hand.

"Woah. Attitude much...?" She mumbles quietly, watching as he digs his hand into the box, retrieving another white envelope.

" 'Go to Haley's childhood home, and walk into the kitchen. Try not to burn down the house Haley.' "

"It doesn't say that!" Haley exclaims, ripping the card from his hand, "it says Nathan, you jerk! I can cook!" She yells, watching the smirk on his face grow.

"So, why did they have us walk here, if we are going to your old house? And didn't your parent sell it, so that kinda screws everything up."

"No, they wouldn't do that because you are supposed to screw everything up, lets just go check it out, if it involves committing any crimes, we'll bail and get some food elsewhere."

"Deal. Give me the Cracker Jacks, I'm hungry." She hands him back to box, and he stuffs his hand in, as they begin to walk. "Hey. I got a prize.. Maybe it's something good this time..." He opens it up, and pulls out a plastic ring. He tries to put it on himself, but it won't fit on his finger. "Here. You can have it. Now you have like a collection."

"Yeah, just what I always wanted, a collection of Cracker Jack box jewelry. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.." She states sarcastically as he slides the ring onto her finger.

"Well, you should. Look at who you are standing next to." He smugly comments.

They walk to Haley's old house, and are surprised to find a For Sale sign in the front yard, and everything already moved out of the house.

"It's still a crime to go in there, Nathan."

"So... We've committed several crimes together, including trespassing before, so why is this different?"

"Because! We were teenagers!"

"Oh, come on Haley." He groans. "I'm hungry, and if I know Brooke and Lucas, Brooke came up with the idea, and Luke made sure we wouldn't get into trouble for it. It's dark. No one is out, we won't get caught."

"Fine.. But if I end up in jail I am blaming you, Screw Up." She says, following him up the walkway.

"Stop with the screw up thing already!"

"No.. I am having WAY too much fun with it." She giggles as they entered the house. "Whoa. Creepy. I've never seen it so.. Empty or.. Dirty."

"You had 5 brothers and sisters, wasn't it a mess all the time?"

"Good point. I mean, like DIRT dirty, not messy." He nods in understanding as they walk into the kitchen.

There is a bag, a microwave, a cd player, and a blanket sitting on the counter.

" 'Inside is a dinner, made for you, just to win her. Don't screw up, or you will pay, have fun, remembering the old days.' " He reads, then pulls out the second sheet of paper. " 'Heat up the container of food for only TWO minutes, lay down the blanket, light the candle, but keep it away from the blanket so it doesn't start a fire, turn on the cd player, and enjoy! Love, Hannah and Nicole. P.S. Good Job on convincing mom to commit a crime!"

"Those girls!"

"They REALLY think I am going to start a fire!"

"Yeah. So do I. ONLY TWO MINUTES, Nathan." She reminds him, before walking to the living room to lay down the blanket.

"Here we go.. Dinner for two." He says a few minutes later.

"Hannah made this. She loves Fettuccine Alfredo. It's not Macaroni and Cheese, but its really good."

"You are the BIGGEST dork I have ever met. And don't even try to act offended."

"I won't, because I know I am."

A few minutes pass of a comfortable silence.

"So.. What are we going to do about the girls?" He asks.

"I'm not sure. We can't really keep them apart now, can we?"

"No. Not really. And they can't go to two separate schools.."

"Yeah.." She agrees, lost in thought "This is why we came up with the solution we have."

"Is it...? I thought it was because we agreed to never have to see each other again."

"Not we, Nathan." She states.

"I honestly don't remember how it happened at all,"

"You don't remember the day you packed?"

"No... that day I remember perfectly. We were just so young, Haley..."

"Yeah, young.." She said, standing up and taking her plate into the kitchen and began to wash it. Nathan followed her.

"Haley, we should probably talk about it. We may never get the chance to be alone again."

"Oh, you mean why you packed?"

"Yeah. That. We had been fighting for like three months, about stupid stuff, and we both know neither of us really wanted to go to Duke. You wanted to go to NYU and I wanted to go to UCLA, and then we got in that fight and I don't know... It didn't seem worth it anymore."

Haley looked down at her high heels, extremely hurt by his last words. "Right..." She whispered.

"So," He started, clearing his voice. "We could keep them separated and then Nicky could go see you over Christmas break, and Hannah could come with me for Easter break and then they could go to camp together in the summer."

"That works.." She mumbled.

"Good."

"Right. Um. It's getting late, we should get home."

"Yeah..."

**That was All! Have a good day. Not sure when the next UD will be, but yeah.. Thanks to all that reviewed. KEEP IT UP!**

**Katie**


	12. Iris

**So. This chapter is short. But it gets the point across.Hann andNicky are the girls nicknames.I don't know where i got Hann, but its like notall of Hannah? Iguess. Whatever.Iris is the title of this chapter, and also the song in italics throughout the chapter. I thought It fit. I absolutely love that song. It is by Goo Goo Dolls for those of you who lived under a rock during I think it was 1998. ****WAY OFF TOPIC, sorry. I didn't think I'd Update today, since i did like yesterday, but here it is anyways.**

**Chapter 11: Iris**

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming_

_Or the moment of truth in your lies_

Guests filed into the church, all awaiting what was to be the 'Wedding of the Summer' in faithful Tree Hill. Paparazzi had found the little church when Kristin's mother 'accidentally' slipped to a few reporters where the wedding of Nathan Scott and his fiancé was to be. And then when Haley was walking into the Café one spotted her and bombarded her with questions. She was pulled into the Café by Lucas, who had gotten the police to keep them out.

"It's crazy out there. If another person asks me how I feel about Nathan getting married, I may just jump off a bridge." He grumbles.

"Don't do that. I need you to take care of Hannah when I jump off first." She chuckles.

"Are you going to the wedding?"

"No. Hello? The ex-wife going to the wedding? A little too weird for me thanks."

"Yeah. I guess. I kinda have to go, wether I like her or not. I'm best man now."

"Since when?" She exclaimed.

"Like 6am this morning. Apparently he 'forgot.'"

"You don't like her either?"She asked.

"Nope. Total golddigger, but I'm not going to be the one to say something. I told Nicole and Hannah that they had the right to though."

"What did they say to that?"

"Hannah laughed, and Nicole told me 'If I have to, I would do a lot more than say something. I wonder if she's wearing white...' And then ran to her room, and Hannah followed."

"That worries me a little."

"Yeah. Me too." He laughed.

"I need to go though, brave the streets of the mean, mean paparazzi, and get my butt over to the church."

"Okay, I'll run the Café then."

"Thanks."

--

_When everything feels like the movies_

"Is Nathan here yet?" Deb asked Lucas.

"I'm not sure, I just got here. But I doubt it, his car wasn't here yet."

"I swear, late for his own wedding!" She exasperated.

"Deb, he'll be here."

"I hope not. I REALLY don't like her. Or her parents." She whispered to him

He laughed. "Join the club, Deb. Join the club."

--

_Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive_

Nathan was speeding down the street, he couldn't be late to his own wedding. He looked down at the clock. 12:56pm. It started at one. He reached down for his coffee, but his cell phone rang. He reached out to grab it, but it slid out of his hands and onto the floor. He bent down farther to reach it, driving right through the intersection. A truck plowed into his side of the car.

_And I don't want the world to see me_

_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

--

Lucas's phone rang, attracting the attention of most of the people in the room. He looked down at the caller, hoping it was Nathan explaining why he was an hour and a half late. The hospital.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Is this Lucas Scott, brother of Nathan Scott?"

"Um. Yes, it is."

"Mr. Scott is at the hospital in Intensive Care. He was involved in a car accident at approximately one o'clock this afternoon." She sounded like a voice recording.

"Oh my god. Um, thank you."

"No problem, sir."

Everyone stared at Lucas. The look on his face was disturbing.

"Luke. What's wrong?" Keith asked.

"Nnnathan.. Was in a car accident."

"OH MY GOD!" Deb exclaimed, running full speed toward her car, followed closely by Dan.

"He better not die, we haven't gotten married yet! I wouldn't get anything..." Kristin shouts, before being elbowed by her mother. "...Out of life, I can't live without him!" She completed, starting to do a horrible fake cry, and running out of the room.

"Hey! Are we doing this or not? I mean, I'd rather not, but I have better... things..to be doing... Why is everyone looking like that?" Nicole sounded as she and Hannah walked into the room.

"Girls. Your father was in a car accident, we need to go to the hospital." Lucas says.

"What! What the hell are we waiting for then! Let's go!" Nicole shouts. She starts to run toward the car. Hannah just stands there.

"Hannah, honey, we need to go." Lucas encouraged. She nods, but doesn't move.

"Lucas drapes her over his shoulder and runs toward the car, fumbling in his pocket for the keys.

"Here. Nicole. Call your mother. Tell her to close the Café and come to the hospital."

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_...

--

"Hello?"

"MOM!"

"Nicole, what's wrong?"

Nicole smiled at the fact that she knew it was her. "Dad was in a car accident. Uncle Lucas says to close the Café and come to the hospital."

"Alright. Thanks honey. I'll be there soon." She said, panickly trying to rush out the customers, and close it. She ran out to her car, being bombarded by paparazzi and reporters asking why the wedding wasn't taking place. She ignored them and pulled out of the parking spot, almost hitting one or two of them.

She drove quickly to the hospital, getting out and sprinting into the ICU.

"Hey, how is he doing?" She asked the room full of her friends and family.

"We haven't been told anything yet." Just as the words came out of Deb's mouth, a nurse appeared.

"Family of Nathan Scott?"

**--**

**Im gonna leave you hanging there. Why? Im not sure. Maybe I am evil, Maybe I am angry that my imaginary boyfriend Bob, is dating someone else now? How should you know? Or how should I... omg I am gonna stop writing before I confuse MYSELF!**

**But! I will giveyou a "Heads-up" The next chapter's title - When I'm Gone.**

**So you all can spectualate and think or whatever about what that means...;o... **

**LOVE KATIE**


	13. When I'm Gone, Black or White?

**Chapter 12:** **When I'm Gone (Black or White)**

_Now roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone.  
_

"Family of... Nathan Scott?" The nurse in the blue scrubs asked into the waiting room, checking the file in her hand.

"Right here." Lucas announced, as they all stood up.

"He's in surgery, from the police officer's account, and the doctor's analysis, we know he was hit on his left side, after running a red light, and shattered his knee, and broke his arm. He also sustained a head injury, which at this point, the severity of is unknown, we won't know until he is out of surgery. Um. That's all the information I can give, but if you would kindly fill out these forms, and return them to the front desk, please." She informed, handing Deb papers and a clip board.

"Thank you." She breathed. The nurse simply nodded before going back to her business.

--

_Part of me is fighting this, but part of me is gone_

He saw white, all around him, for what seemed like seconds, then went back to black.

(Nathan's comma dream.)

The white was back, but suddenly it came into focus, and he saw her smiling down at him. A wash of relief flew over him, but quickly as she came she went again. The white blurred in and out again, and she was standing with him, except they weren't smiling anymore. She was crying into the pillow on the bed, and he was throwing things haphazardly into the suitcase, storming about, and shaking his head. He saw himself yell something at the woman on the bed, whose body was now shaking in sobs. He desperately wanted to know what they were saying, he forgot about the white and fighting to get back to it, and drifted off to focus on what they were saying. He heard, muffled then stronger.

"...This isn't about US! It's about YOU wanting to leave ME to play basketball! How don't you see that?" She screamed at him.

"RIGHT! KINDA LIKE YOU LEAVING ME TO SING!"

"You BASTARD! FINE! YOU WANT TO LEAVE! GO AHEAD! I don't need you! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!"

"TRUST ME! I AM!" He yelled, before slamming to the door shut.

He watched as the girl glared at the door angrily for a few moments, before flinging it open and called down the deserted hallway. "No...! I didn't mean it...! Come back! Please...come back..." She cried, before collapsing on the ground. He couldn't help but feel guilty, why did he say those things? He wanted to comfort the woman, hold her in his arms until she stopped crying. But once again, the white blended in, and her sobs became less distinct, until they were no longer heard.

He slurred whispers, it sounded like legal instructions or something, and the white focused again, and he saw himself signing papers, and then taking an infant's car seat in his hand and walking out of the room. Then he saw the woman do the same, wiping tears from her eyes as signed them and gave them back to the business man.

Again, the all-too familiar white hazed over. Except this time the black took it's place. Black, or white, it was like he couldn't decide. He fought for the white. To see the woman's face again, her smile.

--

_So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong._

"He's out of surgery now, but he slipped into a comma. Once again, I cannot tell you the severity of the head injury, we will have to now wait until he wakes up."

"Which will be when..?"

"Like all commas, its really unsure. The longer he is in a comma, the worse the odds get that he won't wake up, based purely on numbers. So it's pretty much a race against time. You may see him if you wish. Room 203, only two in the room at a time."

--

_Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone._

The white he was fighting for blurred in again. Except, the woman wasn't there. There was him, and a young girl, and some other woman, not his woman. She was rubbing his back, and whispering into his ear, and oddly enough, he actually seemed to like it. What happened to smile girl? Did he really leave her? He didn't come back and hold her? Who was this other woman? She wasn't smile girl, she didn't smile like her, or even cry. She smiled, but it seemed off.

"...Dad! You promised to play with me!" The young girl exclaimed, throwing a basketball at him, which caused him to look up at her. She had hair like smile girl's.

"Oh, but Natey! I thought you were going to take me to that new restaurant." The other woman cooed as she nibbled on his ear. He looked liked he enjoyed it. The young girl looked annoyed, she didn't like the other woman, that was pretty obvious. And his name wasn't 'Natey' it was Nathan. He knew that at least.

"Quick Game to twenty then I'll shower and we'll go." He told the non-smile girl.

The white blended and cleared again. And he saw smile girl, and himself in the street.

"Hi, Hales." Hales...? HALEY! Smile girl's name was Haley! He could remember!

"Hello, Nathan."

He wanted to hear more of her voice, but he just saw the young girl, apparently there was two of her, and the woman, and Haley all exchanging talking. Neither young girl seemed to like the woman much. They liked Haley though.

But then, the white blurred over, and he heard a seemingly hollow voices talking to him, but no picture came in to focus this time.

--

_Everything I am and everything in me._

"Hey dad. It's me and Hannah. Um. They told us to come talk to you. Hannah thinks we should be all kind and gentle, cause hospitals suck, but I think this would be a perfect time to tell you we hate Kristin, since you can't like punish us."

"Nicole! Don't say that!" She whispered. "Anyways, It'd be good if you woke up soon. Mostly because I have only known you like two weeks or something, and I really need a dad."

"Yeah, and being parentless isn't really my wish either."

"We love you. Wake up soon." They finished, kissing him on his cheek and leaving.

Deb and Dan entered next.

"Hey son." "Hi, baby boy."

"Deb, he's 30 years old, just because he's in a comma doesn't make him a baby."

"Shut up Dan. So, Nathan. You need to wake up. The girls need a father, and pretty much there is like a roomful of people waiting for you to get better."

"Yeah. What she said." Dan mumbled.

"Get better soon." She told him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "...baby boy." She whispered so that Dan could hear her.

"Bye son." He waved, before leaving.

--

_Wants to be the one you wanted me to be,_

He recognized those voices. They were of the two young girls, they called him dad. Nicole, and Hannah, those were his daughters. It clicked, and sounded right. The next set of voices he wanted to laugh at. He couldn't remember who they were, although, they seemed familiar, but they kept yelling at each other. But they called him son. Maybe those were his parents? It all became fuzzy again, and he heard more voices talking to him.

--

_I'll never let you down even if I could._

"Hey Nathan. It's me. I don't really know what to say. The girls made me come in. But you do need to wake up, the girls need a father, and Im sure Kristin, wherever she is, needs you too. And I would miss you too, and Lucas, and your parents, and Brooke, and Peyton and Jake. I could go on and on, but just wake up, okay?"

Haley left, and Lucas and Brooke walked in.

"Hey man." "Hey Nate."

"I know you can hear me, but listen. We miss you brother. And we all need you. Especially the girls."

"Yeah, and I know I always told you that I'm only there to make sure you don't screw up, but I think I'd fall apart if you weren't there. I need you too Nathan."

--

_I'd give up everything if only for your good._

He heard her voice. He didn't really care about the other two. He heard her. The black blurred over, and he heard shouting, but he fought to hold on to the white, to see the smile and hear her voice. And to talk to Nicole and Hannah...

**I Hope you guys understood this Chapter. Kinda confusing, I know. **

**When I'm Gone is a song by 3 Doors Down. **

**This chapter was giving Nathan a little insight into Nathan and Haley's break up n sutff.**

**Um. Thanks for the reviews as always. **

**Special Thanks go to: RoseRows, TreeHillgirl323, CcScott23, Brucas4ever, and JlsNaley. **

**Lol i sounded like i was giving a speech "And Special Thanks go to.."**

**Anyways. Have a good day**

**Love Katie**


	14. Be My Escape

**Sorry this update took so long. Things have been CRAZY with school and tennis and all of the clubs Im in. So anyways here:**

**Chapter 13: Be My Escape**

_I've given up on doing this alone now  
Cause I've failed and I'm ready to be shown how_

_You've told me the way, and now I'm trying to get there._

"We've been here forever. I'm really bored." Nicole whined. She had already counted the number of holes in the ceiling tiles. There were 529 on one tile and 68 tiles in the room so it was somewhere in the 35, 000 range.

"I'm sorry." Hannah replied, faking her sincerity.

"God, what went up your butt?"

"Oh. Nothing. Just that DAD COULD DIE!" She exclaimed.

"He's not gonna die. And by the way, you should take a nap, its not good for you to have so much stress." She tried to say with a straight face, but the glare she was receiving from her sister made her burst out in laughter.

"You are SO obnoxious! I wish I never decked you at camp!" She shouted seriously.

"Yeah, me either, I had a bruise on my butt for like a week." Nicole laughed it off, at least having her rant at her was better than being bored.

"You are SOO immature!"

"I'm sorry." Nicole replies, coping the fake sincerity of her sister's previous apology.

"Im going to the bathroom.." Hannah scowled.

"Thanks for the update." Nicole said, disinterested, until she walked away, when she cracked a smile and then tried to suppress her laughter.

"What day is it today?" Lucas asked.

"Tuesday!" Nicole replied from her spot across the room.

"I'm supposed to be back for pre-season workouts tomorrow."

"You leaving then?" Nicole asked, sadly.

"I'm gonna talk to my coach, not sure what's going on." He told her, flipping open his cell phone and exiting the room.

"Hales, can I talk to you for a minute?" Lucas asked, reentering the room.

"Sure," she agrees, thankful for the distraction.

"Im being traded."

"Traded for what? Did Brooke find a doctor to hook up with instead!" She asked, craning her neck to see around him.

"No, Hales. Traded, as in the NBA." He told her. All the color drained from her face and panic washed over her.

"WHAT! Where!" She cried.

"Charlotte. Im going to play for the Bobcats."

--

_And this life sentence that I'm serving  
I admit that I'm every bit deserving  
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair_

"Can you hear me now? Good! How 'bout now? Good! Can you-" Nicole pestered to her still idle father.

"God, and you WONDER why he doesn't wake up..?" Kristin mumbles from her spot at the door. Nicole smiles sweetly and pretends to not of heard.

"What was that, Kristin?"

"Oh, nothing..." She smiles back. "Can't they just pour water on him to make him wake up or something? This wait is killing me!" She exclaims dramatically.

"He's not just sleeping that doesn't work. And why would the wait kill you? Oh that's right, the sooner you get married, the sooner you can get divorced and take his money." She stated casually, as if she had personally told them that over and over again.

"Shut up you little brat, I happen to LOVE your father very much, and by the way when we do get married, I'll make sure you are off at boarding school in Campbiodia!" She spits angrily.

"The country is Cambodia, and good luck with that. And get the heck out of here, only FAMILY is allowed in here."

"Fine. I'll leave, but you can't get rid of me." She states evilly as she exits the room.

"Unfortunately." Nicole grumbles, glaring at her motionless father. "Thanks dad. Thanks." She rudely states, voice dripping with distaste and sarcasm.

--

_Cause I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity and I've been locked inside that house, all the while you hold the key  
And I've been dying to get out, and that might be the death of me_

Pausing to wipe the tears from her eyes, Haley let out a breath to calm herself, swung the hospital room door open, and stepped inside. It still made her wince when she looked at her ex- husband lying helplessly with wires and tubes coming out of everywhere. She sat down in the armchair next to his bed and listened to the steady beep of his heart monitor, trying hard not to start crying again.

"Hi." She started, hesitating for a moment. "Lucas was traded. He's moving home. Which I can't seem to comprehend. What does that mean for me? Maybe I should move home too, I mean, I don't really want to be in New York alone. I'd have Taylor and Chris, but that isn't exactly a great selling point. But if I did move back home, I would have to give up singing. Well, like professionally anyway. I don't know, I guess I feel like I've fulfilled whatever dream I had, so maybe it is time to re-evaluate what I want to do for the rest of my life. But then again, can I just give up that easily? BUT it would be good for Hannah, I think. Maybe. Wouldn't it? She could go through her crazy teenage years here. Oh, god, that doesn't sound good. But there isn't any teenage boys with the last name of Scott anymore, maybe she'd be alright..." She laughed at her own joke. "Was I just rambling? God, the things Tree Hill does to me. Why am I asking you all of this stuff? You won't answer. By the way, this is getting kind of old. Stop being stubborn already, and wake up. Your mother is like having coronary, Hannah thinks you are going to die or something, Nicole seems to think that you really are awake, you're just trying to punish her for not liking Kristin, and Kristin, well, I don't really know what she thinks. I don't really care either. I've been trying to find something good about her, I really have, she's just being sort of difficult. OKAY! I am probably annoying you by now. So I'll leave you alone, just... wake up soon." She sighed, kissing his cheek before leaving the room.

—

_And even though, there's no way in knowing where to go, promise I'm going because  
I gotta get outta here  
Cause I'm afraid that this complacency is something I can't shake  
I gotta get outta here  
And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape._

"... So Here's a question on international law: If a international airline crashes on the border of Mexico and the United States, is the airline required by law to bury the survivors?" Hannah asks, looking at her inactive father, whom she had been talking to for close to an hour about nothing. " NO! Because you don't bury survivors! Get it! HA Ha, ha... ha. Yeah... not so funny. I don't have any more jokes— um.. Why did the chicken cross the road?" She asked, laughing at her own corniness.

"Please tell me you didn't just ask him that?" Nicole smirks.

"Shut up. Like you have anything better to say."

"Actually, I do. Uncle Lucas is moving back to Tree Hill." She states bluntly.

"WHAT! No, wait, you're lying. I would have known first."

"What makes you think that?" She chuckled challengingly.

"Because... He would have told me, I've lived with him forever, why would he have told you?"

"Obviously he loves me a whole heck of a lot more, because he did tell me first."

"Yeah, right. Who would love you? Oh wait... I bet you'll say 'dad' right?" She glared.

"Um... I doubt you should be talking about dad when I'm pretty sure that I was the one he picked... not you." That seemed to set off whatever pent up anger Hannah had collected over the weekend as she dove at Nicole, knocking her over. Nicole instinctively fought back, but had to stop when something pulled her off Hannah.

"What the heck do you girls think you are doing?" Lucas whispered angrily. "You do realize that this is a hospital room... don't you?" He looked at the girls for an answer, but they simply glared at each other. "Wow. You too are WAY too much like us..." He groaned under his breath.

"Nah, I got you to bleed." A hoarse voice came from the bed. Lucas, Hannah, and Nicole all snapped their heads in that direction.

"Dad!" Nicole and Hannah cried, running to opposite sides of the bed, then hugging him.

"I'm so loved." He laughs.

"Don't let it go to your head. I'll go get the nurse." Lucas laughs, walking to the door. "Oh, Nate?"

"Yeah..?"

"Good to have you back man." He smiles, receiving a thankful smile back.

**Hope that will hold you until the next Update. Have a GREAT day. Please Review**

**Katie**


	15. Celebrity, Bye Bye Bye

This chapter is FILLED WITH CRAP! Omgsh! Just read/ sorry for the length, i suppose

**Chapter 14: Celebrity. Bye, Bye, Bye.**

_Lately I've been doing a little thinking 'bout the things that satisfy you  
It's making me wonder 'bout the things that you see in me_

"Nathan..." Kristin whined, watching him maneuver his crutches into the open door of Karen's Café. They were throwing a 'welcome home' party for him, which he didn't even want to attend, but his agent told him he'd meet him there.

"What?" He sighed, looking back at his fiancé.

"Why do we always have to come HERE. There are other places we could be. The restaurant we lunched at before was nice."

"But Karen's is more personal, and paparazzi free." He informed her. Her smile seemed to fade when he reminded her that they gotten all the way over here, and not one of the reporters showed up. "And this is where I was told to be, I find out about how this will affect my career today." Since Nathan had awoke from his coma the realism that he may not ever play again started to sink in, and as a result he became more and more stubborn and closed off. Smiling wasn't at the top of his priority list anymore.

"Whatever..." She mumbled, glancing over Nathan's head to see if any of his single teammates were still here.

"Nathan! You're early! You ruined the surprise!" Brooke wailed.

"Brooke, it wasn't a surprise, you told me yesterday."

"Yeah, but that was only because I needed you here on time! Now we don't get to yell surprise or throw the confetti!" She pouted.

"Here. I can fix that." Nicole blankly states, walking over to wear Nathan was and standing in front of him. "SURPRISE!" She shouts, fake smile on her face, throwing a handful of confetti up in the air, watching it fall to the floor in front of him.

"OH WOW NICOLE! I am so surprised! Your confetti is so... colorful." He says in an almost bothered tone.

"Thanks. Mock me."

Nathan was bombarded by teammates, family and friends that had packed Karen's to see him. All asking him different questions. "How's the knee?" "You okay, dawg?" "How's the girl?"

He tried to look threw the crowd for his agent, but couldn't find him. He nodded at the crowd, and then wheeled over to where he saw Haley sitting, discussing something heatedly with Nicole.

"It's not a horrible idea." Nicole reasons.

"I know it's not." Haley agrees.

"Well, then what is the problem? I guess I don't understand."

Haley sighs, "I honestly don't understand it either, it's just how it is, honey."

"Whatever mom. I have to go find Hannah, and make sure she isn't still crying about Uncle Lucas leaving."

"Tell her we have cake."

"Will do."

"Thanks." She called to Nicole's retreating figure, she got a hand thrown up in recognition. She spotted Nathan trying to move with his crutches toward her and she smiled warmly at him.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"What was that about?" He asks.

"Oh, nothing really. But tell me, am I going to have to eat that whole cake by myself, or are you going to help me?"

"What kind is it?"

"Vanilla with chocolate frosting, Karen made it."

"Im in." He smirks, and watches as she cuts the cake and puts two pieces on two plates. She laughed when she accidentally got chocolate frosting on her hand. He smiled for the first time in a long time when he saw her try to push her hair back, getting frosting all over her face, and not realizing it. He almost felt guilty for wanting Haley, and shot a glance at Kristin, she was flirting with one of his teammates.

--

_I hate the way you like to say your man's a celebrity  
Baby what's the deal, I thought you wanted me for me_

Nicole walks out of Karen's and sees her sister sitting on a bench staring blankly at the street before her.

"Hey." She says softly, sitting down next to her. Hannah rolls her eyes at her and ignores her. "Alright, I'm sorry, how many times do I have to tell you this?"

"A lot." She bites out coldly.

"You know, I am not even going to point out that I'm not the only one that should be apologizing, because I know you are hurting right now. But just get over it, all ready. Uncle Luke is moving. There isn't anything you or I or anyone else can do about. So suck it up, enjoy the time you have left with him. "

Hannah looks over at Nicole and smiles weakly at her. "It's not about Uncle Lucas. Nicole... what the heck is going to happen to our family once dad gets better?"

"'Family?' Oh, Hann. You poor, poor naive little lamb. What we have isn't a family. It's a crazy put-together of assorted people, that are somehow linked to one another." Nicole jokes.

"I'm serious. I've lived all these years without my dad, and until this summer I thought I was okay with it, I had Aunt Tay and Uncle Luke, Kenny, and Chris. And they were great and all, but I learned that a dad is an irreplaceable role in a girl's life. And what about you! I can't leave you to fend off Kristin all by yourself!"

"One, don't worry about me. Two, I think we can get rid of the annoyance formally known as Kristin..." She smiles deviously.

"How..?" She asks slowly, knowing her sister's look.

"Okay, here's my plan.."

--

_I'm glad that you are having a good time livin' the life that I've laid out for me  
Constantly splurging, spending my money on everything you see_

"Hey." Lucas smiles at Brooke, who is refilling the punch bowl.

"Hi." She smiles back.

"Brooke..." Lucas says, seriousness laced into his tone.

"Yeah..." She frowns with worry at him.

"What are you going to do once Nathan gets better?"

"Um. Go home?" She replies, confused.

He simply nods and looks back at the crowd pensively.

"Whoa. Don't go all Broody on me here. Why...?"

"Brooke. I'm moving back home..." He says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I know that..."

"Well!" He exclaims.

"Well what? I MUST be missing something here."

"You know what! Never mind!" He growls at her, before tearing out the room. Brooke looks over at Haley and Nathan who had clearly saw the whole thing. Haley shrugged and looked worriedly at her. Nathan simply rolled his eyes.

--

_It would be different if you had something  
Maybe like a J-O-B  
You need to get your thing together, yeah _

Hannah and Nicole walk back into Karen's side by side, scheming smiles on their faces. They nod at each other before splitting up. Nicole walked over to near the area where Haley and Nathan were and Hannah walked over to where Kristin was re-applying her make-up. They looked back at each other, nodded again as a cue, and Nicole "faints."

"Nicky!" Haley exclaims, running over to her. Hannah restrains a laugh, that was the worst fake faint she had ever seen.

"Oh my god. She is so over-dramatic, always trying to get the in the spotlight. No one cares!" Hannah complains to Kristin, who looks at the scene before them with disgust.

"I know. But _HALEY_ seems to care. I saw her talking 'causally' to Nathan."

"Yeah. That's my mom for you though, she'll probably take him from you. I mean, I love her, but lately all she seems to care about is her reputation, and how good she looks in a magazine and blah, blah, blah." Hannah mentally kicks herself for letting herself say these atrocious things about the one person she loved more than anything else. Kristin glances at Hannah briefly, trying to read her.

"Really...?" She asked, sounding interested.

"Yeah. And Nicole, she is SUCH a snob. I hate her."

"I hate the little princess too."

Deb comes up, right on cue, behind Kristin. "DID YOU JUST SAY YOU HATE NICOLE?" She questions, a malicious stare on her face. Nathan and Haley look over at the three. Nicole opens her eyes, and sits up.

Kristin laughs hollowly, looking around for someone to help her. "What... no, of course not!"

"No, I'm pretty sure that is what she said." Hannah agreed. Kristin panicked. She pointed at Hannah.

"Well, SHE said she was a snob and that she hated her! And you should of heard the horrible things she had said about her mother!"

"KRISTIN, REALLY! Do you honestly expect us to believe that HANNAH could say awful things about her sister or mother? You must be out of your mind!" Deb counters.

"BUT SHE DID!" Kristin cried, staring at Hannah who had plastered a confused, innocent look on her face.

"OH PLEASE!" Nicole cried out, causing everyone to stare at her.

"I thought you fainted!" Haley exclaimed.

"I, uh, feel better, just a fluke. BUT KRISTIN! How could you?" She fired at her, taking the heat off herself.

"I, I..." She stammered, looking at Nathan, who had not said a word yet.

The door to Karen's swung open and revealed Nathan's agent, dressed in the finest Armani suit, finishing his cell phone call, then staring at the tension that had formed throughout the café.

"Um. Hello." He greeted awkwardly as the entire crowd stared at him. "Nathan...? Can we talk? Alone?"

"Uh.. Yeah, let's go outside." He told him slowly, confusion evident in his eyes.

--

_If you really loved me, you'd try and show me that it ain't even about my name  
But you try to use me, you lie to fool me  
So it can never be the same_

"Nathan. I swear I did all I could man..." He started hesitantly.

"They... their gonna cut me?" Nathan gulped.

"Not cut, trade." He corrected.

"I'm not following...?" Nathan's confusion lines appear on his forehead.

"They are trading you to play with your brother, in Charlotte. Apparently, the Bobcats want you guys together, and even with your knee, they are still going to match your 6.5 mill salary. They hired some top physical therapist to get you back quicker, but..."

"Stay in Tree Hill...?" Nathan asked, disbelievingly.

"Well, where you live, doesn't really concern me, just as long as you can get to practice and games on time. Now, I hate to leave so soon, but I have to meet with the Bobcat's owners, so I will talk to you tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah, thanks."

"Oh! Nate, you DO want to sign, right?"

"Yeah... yeah I do."

"Tremendous! Right, so tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Nathan replied in shock.

--

_So now I'm leaving you behind  
I've found somebody who can love me for me  
And that's all I need, yeah_

Nathan had quickly grabbed Kristin and went out to the car. Nicole had asked to stay with Hannah for the night. They drove through the quiet, small town night. Kristin pulled slowly up the driveway, turned off the car, and looked over at her should-be husband.

"Natey..? Are we ever going to get married?"

"I guess." He shrugged. She cried out in frustration.

"Nathan!"

"What!"

"I want to get married!"

"We'll do it sooner or later! I mean, we could do it when we had originally planned to."

"WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO DO IT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO!" She shouted.

"Baby, Im too tired for this crap. You know I meant back in LA in September! (Not that we are going to be there anyways.)" He mumbled so she couldn't hear. "I am going to bed, it's been a long, horrible day." He sighed, climbing out the passenger's seat, grabbing his crutches.

"Horrible all right." She rolled her eyes. "What did that guy tell you anyways?"

"My agent?"

"Yes!" She demanded annoyed.

"They traded me."He looked at her confused face "It means I am on the Bobcats now."

"BOBCATS? Who are they?"

"They're from Charlotte."

"Oh no. So you mean we would live HERE!" She asked, disgusted.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Would we still have the house in LA?"

"No, why would we?"

"BECAUSE! I hate this town. It has no excitement!"

Nathan looked at her for a long time, before finally coming to a decision.

"Kristin...?" He asked softly.

"Yeah?" She asked irritably.

"Get the hell out." He commanded.

"WHAT?"

"Don't even try to act surprised. You flirt with EVERY other guy, you constantly ask me for money, my kids and family HATE you, so I'll tell you again: Leave."

"Babe, it's the meds, you are irrational..." She tried, sure she didn't love him, but 6.5 million a year, that she sure did love.

"No. It's not. You don't love me. I don't love you..."

"This is about HER isn't it!" She shouted.

"HALEY? This has nothing to do with her."

"Sure it doesn't. I'm not stupid. I saw the way you look at her."

"You know what! It does, I won't lie. But it has way more to do with the fact that all you love is yourself and money. So get the hell out of my life, and don't come back."

**Ding dong, the witch is gone! Lol**

**Thanks for reviewing...**

**RoseRows: He he he. No quitting, he got traded. I had that idea forever. I hope you liked it.**

**JlsNaley: Kristin is gone. And Nathan is awake. All your wishes come true!**

**Journeyfan01: Haley moving back is still a ? But Nathan did get rid of the evil fiance, and you WILL see why they chose kids, lol I was wondering when someone would FINALLY wonder that...**


	16. Sympathy

Sorry about the lack of Jeyton in this story, it will come in this chapter, Along with enough other crap to keep you all satisfied... I hope. The Goo Goo Dolls' song Sympathy is this chapter's title. I thought it fit well.

**Chapter 16: Sympathy**

_Stranger than your sympathy  
This is my apology  
I'm killing myself from the inside out  
And all my fears have pushed you out _

It had been close to a week since "The whore has left the building." It was all over every tabloid, and it seemed that ten times the paparazzi were circling Tree Hill, just yearning for a shot of Nathan Scott in a 'post-break up depression.' Everyone had tip-toed around him the first couple days, fully prepared for the angry shell of Nathan to comeback with a vengeance. But Nathan was quite the opposite, he seemed to be trying to adapt to his new life in Tree Hill as well as possible, and Hannah, Nicole and he were constantly together. Haley seemed to be sneaking in and out of their picture of perfection, she knew that in less than a day Hannah, Lucas and herself would be on the 6am flight back to New York. Of course, Lucas would be staying only a few days to collect his things, and then he'd be gone on a plane back to Tree Hill. Everyone was bracing themselves silently for the break up. Talking about it made everyone become extremely nervous and someone would quickly change the subject. Brooke and Lucas were avoiding each other and Peyton and Jake had been walking on eggshells the past week. The dinner that Karen and Deb had arranged for that night would be brutal, and it seemed the whole town knew it.

--

"I just don't understand why it has to be tomorrow, mom." Hannah badgered as she watched her mother get ready from her spot on her mother's (well Peyton's guest room) bed. It didn't seem fair, sure coming back to Tree Hill on holidays seemed like a lot when she had most of her KNOWN family with her, but now everything was different. Even Haley could admit that much.

"I think you do, we've been over it enough times. You start school next Tuesday, and we need time to move Uncle Lucas out, and regroup." Haley replied, trying to apply her mascara. This would be as hard for her as it was for Hannah, and she wished she would stop bringing it up, the thought of it made her sick.

"We DON'T need time to 'regroup!' And Uncle Luke can move his crap out by himself." She informed her indignantly.

"Oh really?" She questioned as if this was all news to her. Hannah nodded. "Well, it doesn't change the fact that I have to work and YOU have school!" She said, poking Hannah's stomach as she plopped down beside her on the bed and worked on retouching her toe nail polish.

"Mom...? Is it really just going to be us now...?" She questioned nervously, watching Haley paint her toes almost trance-like.

"Yeah honey it is. Well..." She paused. "Kenny and Taylor will be popping by- like always."

"And Chris?"

"Yeah, he's unavoidable too." Haley chuckled.

"Will we still have movie night, even if Uncle Lucas isn't with us?"

"Of course baby!" She assured, kissing the top of Hannah's head as she closed the nail polish container and walked over to her closet. She pulled a hanger with a zip-up cover on it. She exhaled heavily, "Here goes nothing." She told her self quietly as she unzipped the cover, revealing a very special dress.

--

_I wish for things that I don't need  
All I wanted  
And what I chase won't set me free  
All I wanted  
And I get scared but I'm not crawling on my knees _

"Dad! If you don't get down here this instant I will leave without you! I am not going to be late, just because you can't get your pants on!" She screamed up the stairs. She didn't know why she was so... Hannah-esque, but she wanted to be there as if they could last in the moment and tomorrow would never come.

"Wait. What did you just yell?" Nathan asked, walking slowly down the stairs of the beach house, trying to haphazardly tie his tie. Unlike Nicole, he didn't want this night to ever come, he prayed Haley would change her mind and stay in Tree Hill.

"Nothing." She lied, stifling her laughter as Nathan playfully chased her out of the house and into the car. "Your tie is awful." She giggled.

"I have my mom or Brooke do it." He grumbled. Nicole laughed. "What?"

"You are going to have your mommy tie your tie at thirty years old?"

"HEY! Thirty is NOT that old. It's only like 18 years older than you." He defended as they drove past the construction site that was going to be their house. He looked over at Nicole who sighed pitifully at the sight. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just everything's changing, I'll be okay. So, are Uncle Luke and Brooke talking again?"

"'Dunno. Tonight will definitely be entertaining if nothing else..." He sighed.

--

_Oh yeah everything's all wrong yeah  
Everything's all wrong yeah  
Where the hell did I think I was_

"So... this should be an interesting night" Jenny stated, trying to break the very awkward silence that filled the living room, as they waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Peyton and Jake sat on opposite sides of the couch across from her. "ALRIGHT!" She exclaimed. "This silence crap needs to stop. What is going on here?"

"Nothing." Jake denied crossly.

"Don't lie to her Jake." Peyton bit out at him. She turned her attention toward Jenny. "What's going on here is that your father is an insensitive jerk."

"Oh. Okay. I'm the insensitive one? Who called me a 'stupid jackass' when I tried to fix the doorknob?" He shot back at her. Jenny was struck hard, her parents had never fought in front of her, and if they did they kept it hushed and then made up quickly.

"Only because you ended up _breaking _the door!" She exclaimed as she started to shake with little sobs. Jenny and her father exchanged confused glances, Peyton rarely cried anymore, especially over something so stupid. "I didn't mean it!"

"Shh... baby..." He hushed quietly, pulling her into him. The click of high heels sounded from the stairs, and Jake quickly signaled for Jenny to stop them from coming in just yet. "You wanna tell me what's going on Peyton?"

"Jake... I'm pregnant." She smiled weakly. A grin spread quickly across his face.

"Really..?" He muttered in disbelief.

"Yeah.." She smiled back. Jake quickly stood up, pulling her up as well, and enveloped her in a hug. "This is going to be quite the night isn't it?" She exhaled deeply, as if a huge weight had been lifted.

"I can truly say it already ranks pretty high in my book. Very little could bring me down now."

"Hmm... dining with the whole Scott brood, and ex- Scott wives and ex- Scott girlfriends and Scott kids? I'd rather stay home and eat... rice and cake."

"Rice and Cake?" Jake asked incredulously.

"Yeah! Doesn't that sound good?"

"Sure babe. Of course." He replied, shaking his head and smiling as Hannah and Jenny appeared in the living room.

"Where is Haley?"

"She went back upstairs to help Brooke." Hannah informed them.

"Yeah, and she looks AMAZING!" Jenny added. "I like the smiling..." She whispered quietly as she walked by them.

--

_Stranger than your sympathy  
I take these things so I don't feel  
I'm killing myself from the inside out  
Now my head's been filled with doubt _

Lucas paced around his room at his mother's house. He couldn't breathe. He had spent all day dreading the dinner. It meant his plan of avoiding Brooke would suffer a major blow. He couldn't understand why he was acting like this. He realized his behavior at the party was immature. Of course she wouldn't understand what he was hinting at. He had been very vague, but a part of him hoped she'd understand so he wouldn't have to ACTUALLY say it aloud. He patted his pocket. It was still there. His nerves were driving him crazy. His mother knocked on the door. He nearly jumped. "Uh... Yeah?"

"Lucas, honey we need to go. Poor Deb may have a coronary if we miss our reservations. And we are meeting at Peyton and Jake's."

"Yeah... of course." He muttered, patting his pocket again. Still there.

Karen laughed. "This should be an interesting night. Don't you think?"

"Yeah. Interesting." He swallowed.

--

_It's hard to lead the life you choose  
All I wanted  
When all your luck's run out on you  
All I wanted  
You can't see when all your dreams are coming true_

"Wow. Hales. Wow." Brooke stuttered as she stared at Haley in her infamous dress.

"Oh shut up. You look better. Like always."

"Yeah... okay Haley. If that's what you need to believe." She rolled her eyes, dropping onto the bed as she fought with her stiletto, trying to get it on.

"Lucas and you still avoiding each other." She started cautiously.

"Yeah. Kinda." She shrugged.

"Are you going back to LA?" Again, Brooke shrugged.

"I don't know Haley..." She sighed. "I had this GREAT job in Los Angeles, I mean, I was REALLY close to opening my own line... but everyone I love is here." Haley feigned offense and Brooke looked at her worriedly. "What?"

"I won't be here!" Haley laughed.

"Oh, tutorgirl, ya know I love ya!" She winked.

"Well, duh. I am Haley James! Grammy winning ARTIST!" Haley joked dramatically.

"You need to work on your ego girl." She laughed as they walked out of the room and down the stairs.

--

_Oh yeah it's easy to forget yeah  
You choke on the regrets yeah  
Who the hell did I think I was?_

Nathan and Nicole pulled up to Peyton's at the same time as Lucas, Karen, and Keith did. They all got out together, and Nathan laughed at Lucas's flustered attitude.

"Stop laughing at me Nathan or I swear to god I will chop off your-"

"Lucas!" Karen scolded. "Don't you dare say another word. And Nathan. Tie your tie."She added, walking threw the open front door.

"Oh. Thirty years old and STILL getting yelled at by your mother." Nathan snickered. Lucas glared. "Dude, relax." He chuckled before following Nicole threw the door.

Brooke came down the stairs first and immediately her eyes locked with Lucas's. She gave him a feeble smile before commenting on Peyton's outfit. Haley's footsteps were heard coming down the stairs, but they stopped suddenly. "Crap!" Haley shouted. "Hold on. I forgot my thingy-per-bob-job.

Everyone laughed at her choice of words. "That means her purse, or cat, but I'm going with purse." Hannah laughed. A few moments later her quickened footsteps were heard, but again she shouted out in frustration. "Ah! My shoe fell off."

"Haley! Carefully down the stairs, if you fall and rip that dress we will kill you!" Brooke shouted. Haley obeyed and sat down on the stairs and put her strappy black high heeled shoe back on.

"Why? Is it your dress or something?" Nathan asked. Brooke laughed.

"No. Just THE HALEY DRESS." Brooke responded.

"NO WAY! Is she?" Peyton exclaimed excitedly.

"Yep." Brooke smiled. She looked over at the boy's confused faces. "You'll see. IF your memory didn't stop working, you'll see."

"ALRIGHT! I think I am ready.." Haley said, digging threw her purse as she came to the bottom of the stairs. It was a maroon, strapless silk dress, that hit just blow the knee.

"Oh. THAT dress." Lucas smirked, as he looked over at Nathan, whose wide-eyes had a look of part-terror, part-amazement. "Thirty years old and STILL getting turned on by your ex-wife. DUDE, Relax." He mocked, whispering in his ear.

"You understand now Hot Shot?" Brooke smirked. Nathan simply nodded.

"I don't get it. It's a pretty dress and looks great on her, but why is it so important?" Nicole asked Brooke.

"Come on! Where is it!" Haley yelled, oblivious to everyone staring at her as she continued to dig threw her purse.

"Come sit, and I will tell you the story..." Brooke sighed. "Alright, so your parents basically were avoiding each other at all costs during the beginning of our senior year-"

"Why?" Nicole asked.

"Doesn't matter, ask your mother. Anyways, they were, and of course they still loved each other, just your parents are probably the two most stubborn people I have EVER met. And every year we had this basketball party thing at Dan's house, formal attire was a MUST. And I dragged Peyton and Haley with me, which was hard because your mother hated leaving the apartment! She wanted to sit and watch Lifetime movies! I can't have that! Anyways, so we went and she wore that dress. THE HALEY DRESS!"

"GREAT STORY! Really had me shakin on that one Brooke." Nicole rolled her eyes.

"I'm not done! So, we went, and Haley looked gorgeous, but she insisted on keeping this stupid coat thing on so no one could see the dress. But then we played a LITTLE game... which you should NEVER play!" She added quickly, intriguing the girls.

"What kind of game..."

"A uh, drinking one."

"I Never, to be exact." Peyton added, coming in to sit down with them.

"Right, so it was my turn, and I was drunk, and was looking for some fun. So I say, "I never waited for marriage to have sex." Which was sorta mean, but not really since everyone knew Haley had waited."

"It was still mean Brooke." Peyton corrected. "But Haley took it like a champ and downed a LOT of her drink. Then it was your father's turn, and he says, "I never regretted letting Haley wait until marriage." Which would make ANY girl smile."

"Yeah, so your mother, who was completely drunk takes off her shall coat thing, revealing the stunning dress that made horny teenage Nathan flip. And so he takes her arm and drags her away, and asks her to go on a "Walk " which we all knew meant to his bedroom. And that ladies- Is the night your momma got preggers." Brooke says.

"You're kidding!" Nicole laughed. "Our mom wore that dress when we were conceived?"

"Um. Actually. She wore BEFORE you were conceived. I'm pretty sure she was naked when they were-" Brooke told them.

"LADIES! Let's go!" Jake shouts at them.

"Oh right, dinner." Peyton mumbles

"So what happened after we were born?"

"They got a divorce...?"

"Way to state the obvious on that one Brooke." Peyton laughs. "Only your parents know that."

"What are you two talking about?" Jake and Jenny ask.

"Nothing." They say quickly in unison.

"I'm sure..."

--

_Stranger than your sympathy  
All these thoughts you stole from me  
I'm not sure where I belong  
Nowhere's home and I'm all wrong_

"Well, only 25 minutes late." Deb scolds playfully as everyone arrives. They all greet her and a sullen looking Dan.

"What's up with him?" Lucas whispers to Keith.

"I dunno." He shrugs. "Deb, what's wrong with Dan?"

"I have no clue, he's been like this all day." She rolled her eyes.

They all sit down at the large round table. Nathan is sitting next to Dan, and Haley is beside him. Nicole and Hannah are sitting next to Haley, then comes Lucas, Karen, Keith, Jenny, Jake, Peyton, Brooke and finally Deb who is sitting next to Dan's other side. Peyton and Jake had seemed to go off in their own little world, Jenny was busy eying a bus boy who was taking French with her next year, Nicole and Hannah were talking quietly about ways to avoid the next day, Lucas was talking to Karen and Keith about his new living arrangements, and the remainder of the table were discussing something about colleges. Suddenly Jake stands, grinning ear to ear, and clears his throat, catching the table's attention

"Um. Peyton and I... um. We would like to tell you that uh..."

"I'm pregnant." Peyton smiled, finishing for him quickly. The table immediately responded with their congratulations. Everyone settled back down, and eyed Jenny nervously who hadn't said anything.

"Jenny honey. Are you going to be okay?"

"Please tell me this is a sick joke or something." She stated bluntly.

"No, Jenn, Peyton is really pregnant."

"GREAT!" She exclaimed sarcastically. "Whatever. Let's just eat so I can go call Alexa."

"Welcome to the teenage years..." Jake mumbled to Peyton.

"Oh god. Let's hope she's not like us." She responded.

"Or Nikki.." Jake sighed.

"So. A toast, to family.. And friends." Deb smiled raising her glass after they had finished their meal. The clinking of glasses and "Cheers!" Echoed throughout the table.

"And to think this will all be over tomorrow.." Karen sighed sadly. Everyone sat uncomfortably for a moment before the waitress returned with the dessert cart.

"Oh! I shotgun the chocolate cake!" Haley exclaims, everyone laughs.

"Grow up, Hales. Just grow up." Lucas laughs.

"Says the man eating chocolate PUDDING!"

"Whoa. Break it up. Last time this fight occurred our kitchen was covered in chocolate, and I had to clean it up!" Hannah scolds.

"He started it.." She muttered, staring down at her cake.

"Did not!" He objected quietly.

"I love you girls. Hannah, be good for your mother." Karen cried kissing them goodbye for the millionth time.

"Love you too, Karen." Haley laughs, as they leave the restaurant.

Nathan and Nicole were sitting on bench outside, and they walk over to them.

"Took ya' long enough!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Yeah, well that's Karen for you." Haley laughs.

"I'm surprised my mother didn't choke you to death too." Nathan says.

"Oh, she did." Hannah states.

"Well, shall we ladies?" Nathan sighs, holding out his arm.

"No. We shall'nt or shouldn't, WHATEVER! We won't go until you tell us why." Nicole states.

"Why what?" He asks confused.

"Why I got YOU and she got mom!" She points at him. Haley starts to laugh, which seems to make Nicole more upset.

"You wanna tell them, or should I? You SCREW UP!" She giggles.

"One, Haley stop calling me a screw up. Two, No, I really don't want to tell them, I don't think we should have to." He gumbles.

"YOU"D think that, wouldn't you." She bites accusingly at him. "Fine, you won't I will."

"Whatever. I'm leaving then."

"Fine. Take the easy way out." She shouts after him. "Didn't seem to bother you then, either." She whispers, sitting down on the bench and pulling Hannah and Nicole down next to her.

--

_And I wasn't all the things I tried to make believe I was _

"Brooke, can you come with me for a second?" Lucas questioned. Patting his pocket again, it was still there.

"Um. Sure. Look Lucas I-" She started, but he silenced her with his finger on her lips.

"Brooke, its okay. Close your eyes. Trust me, it's okay." He assured her. He lead her around the back just as he had planned. And sat her down on a bench. And told her to open her eyes.

"Lucas, it's so beautiful." She gasped as he sat down next to her. He had taken her to a rose garden, there were lights in the trees and roses and the bench was placed right in front of a fountain.

"You're beautiful." He corrected. "Brooke, last week, the reason I acted like I did was because I was afraid of losing you again, and I don't know if my heart could take that. I need you so much Brooke."

"Aw. Broody, you won't lose me silly. I love and need you too." She smiled, her trademark dimples glowing as she leaned in to kiss him.

"Sounds good.." He whispers.

"Yeah, it does..." She nods before they kiss.

"Brooke...?" He softly says after they break away, foreheads touching lightly.

"Yeah?" She responds, watching him slide off the bench and onto his knee in front of her. "Oh my god." She whispers, realizing what he is doing.

"Will you be my wife?" He proposes, looking at her face of shock as he takes the ring box from his pocket finally.

--

_And I wouldn't be the one to kneel  
Before the dreams I wanted  
And all the talk and all the lies  
Were all the empty things disguised as me  
Yeah stranger than your sympathy_

_Stranger than your sympathy.._

Haley sighs, not sure how to start as she stares at the stars above them. "Your father and I.. We... got married VERY young..." She almost wished Nathan had stayed, together they could have breezed over it, but without him it wasn't going to be so easy.

"We know this, skip ahead to Us." Hannah sighs annoyed.

"Shut up Hannah. I want to know why you were fighting before dad knocked you up."

"Don't talk like that." She scolded. "And who told you we were fighting before I became pregnant?"

"Brooke. She told us about that dress.." Hannah answered slowly. Watching Haley's frown turn to her exhausted face.

"Yeah, well. Brooke needs to learn to not tell you two everything." Haley chuckled. "We were fighting because I had left him for singing and he hated me for it, and I hated myself for it. But I DID wear this dress the night you two were conceived. And so I guess I have to thank this dress... and whatever it was that I was drunk off of. But.. After that, not everything went so well.."

**Yeah. Yeah. TWO CLIFFHANGERS! Sorry bout that! MORE WILL COME SOOON! I promise...**


	17. Now You Know

Im so sorry for the wait, and I will trying my damndest to update my other story as well. That one is getting harder though. Anyways, this chapter is almost all a flashback, you'll see that Haley is kinda telling the girls this, I just wanted to give you guys more insight... There are certain things in here that I have refrenced, the prom was during Haley's concert , and the day the girls were born was duringNH's first reunion

I also realize, that I messed up the numbering on my chapters. So Im fixing that, I promise.

**Chapter 17: Now You Know**

_In these eyes, More than words more than  
Anything that I've spoken  
As the skies, Turn to grey my heart's  
Just about to crack open_

_So the story goes  
There's something you should know  
Before I walk away and I blow the ending_

**FLASHBACK- SENIOR YEAR- Haley's pregnancy**.

"Mrs. Scott, you're pregnant." The doctor smiled mockingly at her, god how she wanted to rip off his face. And eat some chicken..

"What, no. That can't be... I'm not even 18 yet!" She panicked.

"Age doesn't give you an exempt, and you are married. Correct?"

"Yes, but..." A million thoughts had been traveling through her head, and for the first time in a month one was not Nathan Scott. God damn doctor, she groaned internally.

"Then... I believe you will be fine. Now, you do have choices. At this point I would put you at about two months." Haley riffled through her mind, two months, had they even had sex in the last two months..? Oh god. The banquet. Why in the world did Brooke always give her so much to drink! "So see the front desk and schedule an appointment for about two weeks from today and we will discuss your decision. If there are no further questions..? Okay, I will see you in two weeks." He rushed out abruptly, slightly slamming the door, causing Haley to jump.

"Oh lord. When did I become Taylor?" She muttered as she pulled herself off the doctor's chair and down the long hallway to the secretary's office. She payed her fee, but there was no way in hell she was coming back to this guy. What a creeper. No, she'd go to her own, normal doctor that she had been too afraid to go to before.

--

A week later she had finally gotten the nerve to go talk to Nathan. Sort of, more Brooke had found out and drove her to his house forcefully, and then sped away before she could stop her. She hesitantly knocked on the Scott's door, and Deb answered. "Hello, Haley." She greeted coolly.

"Hi, Mrs. Scott. Is Nathan around?" She could feel her heart beating faster as she swung the door open further, stepping back to let her in. She felt Deb's eyes trace her outline as if she knew, causing her to wrap her arms protectively around herself. "He's SUPPOSED to be doing his homework in his room, but I doubt that's what he's actually doing." She smiled. Haley tried to laugh back, but it was feeble and very forced, sounding pathetically young. She quietly thanked her and walked up the staircase, silently, in hopes maybe he would be sleeping so she could call Brooke and tell her she had tried. No such luck, she could hear the rhythmic beat of the basketball against the ceiling as she walked down the hallway. His door was open and she could immediately see him laying flat on his bed, throwing the ball against the ceiling.

"You need help or are you just neglecting those poor books?" She questioned, indicating the books scattered across his bed.

"I'm sorry, did you just say "Poor"? Those books should feel damn proud, they have my name written in them." He states agrogantly.

"Right. How could I have been mistaken?" She laughs nervously, she hopes he doesn't recognize it. He does. He's so stupid, if he could realize that she was hiding something he should of also got that she didn't want to talk about it!

"Hales," He started. She wished he wouldn't say her name so soft and affectionately. "What's wrong?"

"Me? Nothing's wrong with me. How about you?" She rambled quickly, nervously biting her lip.

"Oh, me. Nothing. I was just wondering why you were here if something wasn't wrong." He smirks, knowingly. And there's that smirk back, is EVERYONE mocking me these days?" She thought. She quickly searched the room looking for a good excuse.

"Oh. I just need a piece of paper, that's all." She smiled.

"A piece of paper? You don't have paper at your place now?"

"No, fresh out. And uh..."

"And uh... your problem is...?"

"I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!" She yelled, taking Nathan back.

"Oh. Okay..." He said in shock, placing the basketball down at his feet. Well, at least the smirk's gone, she sighed. "So. If you don't have a problem, and by the way I don't buy the lame paper excuse because you have like a million notebooks, so why are you here?"

"Brooke made me come." She vaguely told him, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"Brooke made you come, why?" He egged her on.

"Because I have something to tell you..."

"And that something would be...?" He asked and she walked over to the door.

"Nathan... I'm pregnant." She told him calmly, watching his face contort to terror. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." She whispered, before leaving his room and running down the stairs and out the front door. She quickly pulled her cell phone out of her purse as she walked away from the Scott household.

"Brooke..." She cried.

"I'll be there in five." She reassured.

--

Not even a week later the whole school had found out she was pregnant, Nathan was avoiding her, her parents weren't talking to her, Deb kept giving her dirty looks at work, Lucas was at basketball practice all the time, Brooke was busy with some class officer action week, Jake had just came home so Peyton wasn't in school, and she still had to write an essay on the way people are affected by other's choices. Oh, great! What an amazing way for her to be made fun of more. Not only will she be "Pregnant tutor girl." but now she'll be "Pregnant tutor girl that is ruining some guy's life!" The only funny part was that only their friends knew it was Nathan's baby. Even though he should of been their first guess, he was her husband after all. But she had heard some crazy stories of who it was that knocked her up. The best to her was Tim Smith. Of course, Tim STARTED that rumor but...

"Haley! Wait up!" A voice called down the hallway. She stopped and swung around, hoping it was Nathan, it didn't sound like his voice though. The Friday after-school rush made several people cut around her, revealing Mouth, ah, Mouth always knows when he's needed.

"Hey Mouth. You wanna walk with me? I have to go to my shift, but I'm sure Karen wouldn't mind if you wanted some pie or something." She offered hopefully.

"Oh, um Haley, that sounds great, but I can't. I just wanted to give you back your French book. I'll see you at the game right?" He smiled not waiting for an answer before taking off back down the hallway.

"I can't even get Mouth to stay with me anymore..." She sighed, feeling the tears starting to come. Haley walked quickly toward the nearest exit, noticing some kids pointing and laughing at her as she burst open the door. The rain and harsh February air hit her full force as she briskly ran away from the building. "Where? I don't see her!" Some kid from her Physics class said to his friends as she walked by. She turned to smile at them, but one of the girls he was with grabbed his shirt and pointed directly at her. "HER! I heard she's having a boy!"

The whole group looked over at her and Haley let the tears start to fall. They all laughed as she turned back around and ran full-speed ahead to Karen's. "IS RUNNING THAT MUCH GOOD FOR YOUR BABY, PREGNANT GIRL?" Someone yelled after her.

--

"That's all he said!" Brooke exclaimed as she dragged Haley into the party at the Scott beach house a month later. Haley's ears already rang with the blaring rap music, and the pungent alcohol and vomit smell was making her nauseated. Or maybe that was the apples and peanut butter she was craving earlier. They walked threw the crowd, and into the kitchen, avoiding half of the party. "Yeah... Did you expect anything else?" Haley shouted over the party noise.

"Well, no.. but I was kinda hoping..." She trailed off, as she searched the cabinets for liquor. "AH! There you are, Mr. Daniels. Haley, you want some?" She offered as she poured the alcohol into a blender.

Haley looked at her blankly then pointed at her stomach. "No thanks Brooke."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot." She apologized.

"It's alright, Im glad one of us can forget." She mumbled, leaving the kitchen as she spotted Lucas sitting next to Mouth. "Hey guys." She greeted.

"Hey, Hales. How are you doing?" Lucas asks.

"I feel like someone ran me over with a steamroller, and then backed up and ran over me again, just to make sure. But hey, thanks for asking." She faked smiled, then sat down next to them. Lucas looked apologetic at her.

"Sorry Hales, I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, I know." She smiled meekly as she watched Nathan walk toward them at the same time as Peyton and Brooke.

"Lucas, let's dance."

"Yeah, Mouth, Let's go." Peyton agreed. "Where's Jake?" He asked, Peyton shrugged.

Nathan, who had already sat down next to Haley, thinking they were all staying, looked down awkwardly at his drink.

"So... how have you been?" He mumbles.

"Fine." She says coarsely. He flinched. She didn't care, he had avoided her for a month, two weeks and five days, not that she was counting.

"Haley, um. I... can we talk?"

"Isn't that what we are doing?"

"No, well, yes, but... I mean, you want to go for a walk with me?" He asks nervously. Haley looks over at Brooke, who winked at her.

"Not especially." She replies, receiving a disapproving frown from Brooke.

"Please, Hales." He whispers desperately.

"Fine." She agrees. 'Maybe after five minutes with Nathan and a little but of fake crying Brooke will let me leave. When did I become so scheming?' She thinks.

Nathan grabs her hand and leads her threw the party. "HEY! It's pregnant girl!" Some drunk junior yells after them causing Nathan to drop her hand and spin around forcefully. The terror in the kid's eyes wasn't even half of the anger in Nathan's. "Nathan, don't, please." Haley pleaded, trying to grab his arm. He ripped it away from her.

"What did you just say?" He spat at him. The kid didn't answer, just walk toward him, sternly, hey, if he was going out, he was going out valiantly.

"What, can't say anything, now?" He said, throwing back his arm and driving it right into his face. The kid fell and Nathan grabbed his shirt and plowed him again. "NATHAN! STOP IT!" Haley shouted. Lucas and Mouth rushed over and pulled him off the kid and pushed him out the front door.

"What the hell, dude?" Lucas exclaims, but Nathan just turns away and storms off. "Go after him, Haley." She sighs, but nods in agreement.

"NATHAN! Wait up." He stops and turns around, looking at her almost annoyed.

"What, Haley?" He sighs.

"What the heck was that about!"

"He was making fun of you Haley, are you just going to let him say that stuff!"

"I don't know, but it would be my choice. Not your drunk and belligerent self."

"Yeah, but... we are still married." He stated, as if that helped his case at all.

"Im fully aware of that. But, weren't you the one that wanted the divorce? And either way, you can't go beating people up because of me!" She exclaims, starting to walk away from him, but he catches up and walks with her

"Yeah, but people should know not say stuff about you!"

"WHY! Because it's wrong? Or because Nathan Scott will beat them up if they do! I don't need you protecting me anymore Nathan. If you were gonna do that, you should have started a month ago, when I actually cared." She walked away.

"You can't tell me that when he said that you didn't care! Cause if you do that's bull, and you know it!" He followed.

"Oh, my gosh. NATHAN! Leave me alone. I don't need you, this baby doesn't need you, and I sure as hell don't want you." She lied.

"Don't say that." He groaned, letting go of her arm, allowing her to walk away. "Haley... Haley wait!"

"WHAT!" She shouted. "Isn't that what you wanted to hear! I don't want you to help me! You don't want this baby, so fine! You're free! I can do it by myself." She told him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into him, grabbing her waist to steady her.

"Haley James SCOTT, don't do this. I love you, and I want this baby. And I'm sorry for acting like an ass." He told her confidently, making her cry.

"God damn hormones." She cried as he pushed her toward him, kissing her softly.

--

"It's going to be a girl Nathan." Haley promises as the nurse leads them into a room.

"Yeah, whatever, but when it's a boy I will want a reward." He smirks.

"Ew. Nathan. Shut up." She tells him as the nurse jots down some information about her. The doctor appears soon after and they set up the ultra-sound. "Oh, wow." The doctor says.

"What! What's wrong with my baby?" Haley panics, and Nathan squeezes her hand.

The doctor laughs, "Nothing. Just, there is two." Nathan drops her hand.

"What do you mean, two?"

"Congratulations, you are having twins." The doctor says. "Two baby girls."

Haley's eyes well up with tears. "Two baby girls...!"

"Two..." Nathan echoes.

"Now Haley, I want you to be sure you are taking your vitamins and drinking enough water." The doctor tells her.

"Right."

--

"It's Prom night tutorgirl! Aren't you excited!" Brooke squealed.

"Extremely." Haley said dully, as she got into her dress. "I think it's a pretty safe bet that I'll be the only one there in a maternity dress."

"Haley, and I'm not exaggerating here, I think you look gorgeous. Nathan will be pleased." She smiled.

"Yeah, yeah." She said disbelievingly, walking out of the room and into the kitchen. She riffled through the freezer, settling on Cookie Dough Ice Cream. She pulled out a spoon and sat down.

"Where are they? If we're late, I'll kill em." She promised, and not two minutes later they walked in.

"Didn't the decor comity do a great job?" Brooke comments as they walk into the gym.

"They covered up our state championship banner with cray paper!" Lucas enrages.

"THEY DIDN"T!" Nathan shouts in disbelief, but Lucas points and sure enough it was covered. "Hales, we'll be back. We need to do some demolition."

"Boys, don't touch the decorations!" Brooke yells after them, but they were soon lost in the crowd. "Ughh... men." Brooke scowls, Haley laughs.

'Hero' By Mariah Carey comes on, taking the place of blaring rap music as Peyton and Jake join them. "Hey girlies." Peyton says, but Jake pulls her onto the dance floor. Nathan and Lucas come back, and lead the girls out onto the dance floor.

"And then a hero comes along, with the strength to carry on..." Haley sings into Nathan's ear as they sway to the music. But suddenly the singing stopped, and Nathan felt Haley lean on him heavily. Then her arms slipped off of his neck and she slid to the floor, Nathan caught her and laid her down gently. "Hales? HALES!" He shouted. "Lucas, call 911!"

--

September 21st. They told him he'd be father the day her water broke. Sure enough, here they were, on the day her water broke. Oh, god, He gulped, looking at his wife who was sleeping. Sleeping on the day that she said mattered most. Suddenly, the monitor next to her bed picked up its beeping pace. It wasn't supposed to, Nathan panicked. Doctors and nurse of all sorts flew into the small delivery room.

"Mr. Scott, we are going to ask that you leave."

"But... that's my wife..." He trailed off looking at his helpless wife be poked and prodded by people in scrubs and masks and gloves.

"I know, but there has been complications, I promise I will inform you as soon as I can." The doctor told him as they shoved him out of the room. Nathan paced in the waiting room as Lucas tried his best to calm him down. It didn't work. A nurse came out and walked toward them, Nathan looked at her hopefully, but kept walking, back to a small family in the corner.

"Family of Haley Scott?" A nurse asked who had just left the operating room, where Haley's emergency C-section was taking place. Emergency, the word that didn't seem to leave Nathan's mind.

"That's us." He sprang up quickly.

"We need you to sign these wavers." She told him politely.

"What for?"

"Well, um. In case of serious complications, we need to know whether to save the mother or child first. Or in this case, children, if possible." She told him solemnly.

"You mean choose between my wife or kids!" He gulped, running his hand threw his hair, he felt Lucas's hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, sir. It's just a formality. In case. Please fill them out, and return them to the front desk."

Nathan sat back down and stared at the forms for quite some time. He read them over and them finally circled mother. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he returned the forms to the desk like asked. About twenty minutes later, the doctor came out. "How is she?"

"She's holding on. But she's so small, and she's lost a lot of blood. Baby A is safely out, but Baby B is the problem." Damn. He had hope with the word safe.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Well, to put it in common terms, the position she is in will make it difficult to deliver her. But I think we will be able to save her."

**End of Flashback **

_Feel so light, Craving not searchin'  
All this truth's left me empty  
When you run, Can you handle it  
'Cause I need you to tell me_

_And Maybe this is bold, _

_But I'm hopin' you'll stay for the happy ending_

"Wow. Rough. " Hannah breaths.

"Yeah... my pregnancy, wasn't that great" Haley sighs.

"Two questions, Who was baby B and why did you pass out at prom?" Nicole asks as they continue to walk toward the Rivercourt.

"I passed out because I didn't listen and didn't drink enough water-"

"Smart, mom. Real smart. You could've killed us!"

"Hey, I was only eighteen. I didn't know what the heck I was doing.

"Your forgiven I suppose, if you tell us who baby B was..."

"Nicole, you were baby B." She smiles, waiting for the fight.

"HA! I was a miracle baby!" Nicole smugly states, rubbing it in Hannah's face.

"Now, hey, we thought you were both miracles." Haley smiles, but they ignore it.

"YEAH, but that means IM older!" Hannah smirks back.

"Aw, man..." Nicole pouts.

"Alright, so after that..." Hannah prods.

"After that, we moved you two into our tiny little apartment, and didn't sleep at all. Then we got divorced and you know the rest."

"No, but why did you get divorced?"

"Well, your father wanted to go to UCLA since, I don't know. Forever probably. And I wanted to go to NYU, and I... don't know... Its complicated. Nathan and I are... complicated."

"But how did you choose, between me and miracle kid over here." Hannah laughs at the triumphant look on her twin's face.

"Nathan, well he named you and I named Nicole. Hannah starts with H, and I wouldn't let him name you Haley jr. So he and all of his worldly common sense decided on the first name that came to his mind that sounded like my name. Then I just went with Nicole to make him feel like I wanted to name me baby girl Nathan, plus I just always liked the name. So when we split, he wanted to split them up by letters."

"So I got cheated out of a mom because my dad's a loser? That's really fair." Nicole grumbled as they approached the Rivercourt. "Speak of the Devil." Nicole jokes as they see Nathan playing basketball.

--

_I never want to be without you  
Oh I go here you go now I know  
What I feel about you  
There's no runnin'  
I must of been wrong about you  
Oh no there I go no control  
And I'm fallin' so now you know _

"Will you be my wife?" He proposes, looking at her face of shock as he takes the ring box from his pocket.

"Yes, Lucas Scott I-" She starts, but his lips cut her off. She pulls away slightly. "But on two conditions." She starts again and his smile fades. "One, I don't want to get married like immediately, lets go slow." He nods in agreement. "Two, you put the ring on my finger already!" She giggles and he opens the box and slides the diamond onto her finger.

_So the story goes, Yeah, you already know  
So don't be a fool and go spoil the ending_

**Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEWWW!**


	18. I Try

**Chapter 18:I Try**

_Games, changes and fears  
When will they go from here?  
When will they stop?  
I believe that fate has brought us here  
And we should be together_

_But were not_

"Nathan... stop it." Haley pleaded. Nathan had sent Nicole and Hannah back to the beach house, only so he could yell at Haley in peace.

"No! You don't get to decide what they can know! I mean, I get it! You're a better parent than I am! Hell, you're a better person too! But it doesn't mean you can tell MY kids stuff that I don't want them to know!" Nathan yelled, dribbling the basketball hard against the pavement. He needed this, she was leaving, this was her fault, she deserved it.

"Im sorry." She starts, picking up her purse. "I'm sorry you feel that I am better than you, which I am most certainly not. I'm sorry that I told them things about my pregnancy, which doesn't really concern you. I'm sorry you think that the girls are "yours", which they are not, only Nicole is. And most of all, I am sorry you're still the stubborn son of a bitch you were in high school." She finished, and walked quickly away from him. He turned his head slightly, only to watch her walk away. Guilt mixed with the anger flowing through him and he threw the basketball across the court, barely aware of it ricocheting off the backboard. But it didn't come back, it went further away.

--

_  
I play it off but I'm dreamin of you_

_I'll keep it cool, but Im feelin  
I try to say goodbye and I choke  
I try to walk away and I stumble  
Though I try to hide it it's clear  
My world crumbles when you are not near_

"Lucas! I can't find my dress!" Brooke called down the hall to him. She was not a very 'wear my heart on my sleeve' kind of person, but every time she thought of him leaving her, if not only for a week, it stung. The truth was that she was always very much in love with Lucas. Whether or not they were together had always been the issue. And she could very well admit that the two of them seemed to have the worst possible timing.

"It's hung over the back of the chair in my room!" He offered in response, not realizing her full meaning.

"Could you come help me find it?" She yelled more loudly, hoping he caught the tone of frustration in her voice.

"Uh, yeah hold on!" He shouted, giving up the stuck zipper on his suitcase. "Brooke, it's right here." He frowned, pointing to the dress laying on her bed.

"No, I meant the one I have on silly..." She stated suggestively, draping her arms around his neck.

"Oh, that one," he smirked, as she pulled them back onto the bed, "I wonder where that one is..." He mumbled, questioning innocently.

--

_I may appear to be free  
But I'm just a prisoner of your love  
I may seem alright and smile when you leave  
But my smiles are just a front_

They passed threw security and were walking threw the terminal, luckily avoiding most of the lingering glances, autographs, or pictures. Boy did they look like the motley crew though. Two extremely tall basketball players, one singer, three young girls, two women and a man. Or to be more precise: Lucas, Nathan, Haley, Hannah, Nicole, Jenny, Brooke, Peyton, and Jake. No one had smiles on their faces. Quite the opposite, half were crying and the other half wore scowls on their faces. So it came as no surprise that Nathan was in a horrible mood, yet few knew the real reason. Nor was it a surprise when Brooke and Lucas actually told them they were engaged, the ring on her finger was sort of hard to miss.

"Boarding all first-class passengers on flight 13A to New York." Came the voice over the loudspeaker.

"That's us." Lucas smiled weakly at Brooke, giving her a small peck on the lips. "I'll be back next week. I love you baby." He whispered.

"That's us." Hannah whispered to Jenny and Nicole, who quickly enveloped her into a searing hug. "E-mail me everyday!" She cried, and they agreed.

"That's us." Haley cries to Peyton. "I'll see you hopefully at Thanksgiving. If not Christmas." She confirmed. Nicole interrupted, bringing her into a death grip of a hug. "I love you Nicole Deborah Scott." Haley whispered into her ear. "We'll call you as soon as we get home."

"Promise?" She cried into her.

"Promise." Haley glanced over Nicole's head to see Hannah and Nathan having a similar conversation. God she hoped she was doing the right thing. Wait, of course she was. They had to go home. They did, she couldn't change that.

"Bye tutormommy!" Brooke exclaimed. Haley chuckled. "Bye Brooke. Take care of Lucas. He is helpless sometimes."

"Don't I know it." She laughed.

"Come on Hales." Lucas called. Haley reluctantly pulled away from Nicole, giving her one last kiss on the forehead. "I love you Nicky."

"Love you too mom."

"Bye Nathan." She offered weakly. He simply forced a smile and nodded in return. Well, Haley, you are just his ex- wife what did you expect?

Haley handed her boarding pass to the attendant and glanced back at them and smiled weakly before turning and boarding the plane.

--_  
_

_I play it off but I'm dreamin of you_

_I 'll keep it cool, but Im feelin  
I try to say goodbye and I choke  
I try to walk away and I stumble  
Though I try to hide it it's clear  
My world crumbles when you are not near_

The phone rang at the new Scott mansion, nearly two weeks after their departure. Nicole sprang off the couch, tossing her math book aside, running toward her phone. Smiling at the caller ID and her consistency. Everyday at four, without fail.

"Hello."

"Hey. Oh my gosh. You will not believe this, but I seriously am having thoughts of murdering my stupid history teacher. He was like "It can be a hindrance to have a famous parent." And he wouldn't drop it so I finally was like, "Yeah, well I have two you as.s." And so I! Got suspended. Im grounded for like ever. Yeah, happy birthday to me." Hannah blew out in one breath.

"Wow. Um. Wow." Nicole chuckled, in awe of her greeting. "And by the way, our birthday's not for another like, what three days or something.

"Or something. It's only one day stupid. What, did you not write the date on any of your papers in school today? It's the 20th."

"Hannah, I don't do any work in school. Never have, and probably won't until we are in high school and it counts for college. Besides, I do homework, I take the tests, gets A's on them and that's about it. So, no I don't really worry about the date that much. And it's Monday. No one gives a sh,t on Monday's." Nicole grumbled.

"Yeah. Well, Im going to be grounded and suspended on my birthday. Mom promised me that we'd make a cake together though."

"Cool. I honestly don't know if dad remembered Brooke's not here to remind him anymore, and I mean, I didn't even remember so..." She admits a little sadly.

"He won't forget. I promise. If he does, that's like the best guilt trip ever." Hannah says.

"Yeah, I guess. But I'd rather have him remember, you know?" She states, walking out the sliding patio doors. She walked laps around the pool as she talked.

"True. It would suck if he did. Has he ever before?"

"No, but Im pretty sure the smell of Brooke's burnt pancakes in the morning helped. Our birthday isn't near Christmas or Easter, and those days and birthdays are the only ones she'd make them on, so process of elimination." She told her, deciding to walk down the wooden steps that lead to the beach. The mansion had been built on a rocky hill overlooking the ocean, so they decided to make steps off of it.

"I doubt that's true...Mom's out of the booth now. You wanna talk to her?"

"Yeah. Sure." She answers, letting the warm sand slink threw her toes.

"Hey baby. Happy early birthday! I sent you a package. I hope it get's there on time. Gosh, thirteen years old. Aren't you excited."

"Yeah. I guess." She dead panned.

"Well, that sounded incredibly like your father. Well, I'm excited enough for all of us. My baby's are teenagers... god help us all." She heard her mother mutter. She laughed. "Okay, motherly advice: If you tutor a jock, and fall in love: do not get married or definitely don't have casual sex. He'll knock you up. And it's not that I don't love you girls, I do, very much, but being a teenage parent is worse than watching those horrible shows with all of the surgery stuff that makes me puke."

"Yeah. Um. Thanks for the advice mom." She mumbled.

"Nicky, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Really. I just... I didn't have the best day. That's all." She lied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Well, I hope you have a great day tomorrow, and I'll talk to you then. Don't tell your father what I said. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye." She sighed. Walking back into the house she noticed her books were neatly arranged, her dirty dishes had disappeared, and her shoes weren't haphazardly laying around. "Dad? Is that you?" She called into the house.

"Hann? What was wrong with Nicole?" Haley asked worriedly.

"She was all over this idea that dad was gonna forget her birthday, but for some reason I got the eerie feeling that wasn't it."

"Yeah. I felt the same thing."

--

_Here is my confession  
May I be your possesion  
Boy I need your touch  
Your love kisses and such  
With all my might I try  
But this I can't deny_

"Shut your stupid mouth for like one second, would you please!" Nathan shouted into his cell phone as he entered the house, staring at his daughter's relieved face. "I don't care. Do whatever you want. Good bye." He finished. "Hey Nicky." He muttered tiredly.

"Dad. Who's here?" Her ragged voice came out weakly.

"Nicky, what are you talking about?" He sighed.

"My stuff... I was finishing stuff for math, then Hannah called, and I walked down to the beach and then when I came back everything was all neat and clean. Like freakishly clean, like mom was here or something."

"Your mother? I thought you were on the phone with Hannah?"

"I was... I mean. I don't think SHE'S here, I mean, I think there is someone here. Did you get a cleaning lady and not tell me or something?"

"No..." He shook his head wearily, going into the kitchen as she followed him. Footsteps were heard behind them and Nicole clung to Nathan.

"Nate? Is that you?" A woman appeared, blonde, big boobs. Oh god, another one.

"Nicole, it was just Cherie." He rolls his eyes.

"Yeah. And do I know a Cherie?"

"Oh. You must me Nicky, I'm Cherie, your daddy's girlfriend."

Nicole stared at her hard for a minute, looked over at Nathan's worn out smile, blinked a few times then finally muttered, "You've GOT to be kidding me."


	19. Don't Tell Me It's Over

**Its a blink 182 song. Its really good.**

**Chapter 19: Don't Tell Me It's Over**

_I hear the phone it rings so violently  
Can't leave my room, can't breathe since she left me_

Nicole angrily stomped off to her bedroom, flung herself onto her bed and swore, loudly. She couldn't do anything about it, well she could but it would take too much plotting. At least this one's voice didn't sound like cats crying. She actually smiled, not faked it. But god, what was up with him anyway? Is he trying to run a marathon of girls or something? Probably. She glanced over at her clock. Almost five. She threw some money and her cell into a purse and climbed out the window. At first she wasn't sure where she was headed. Then her stomach growled.

"Hey slut. Want to eat with me? Luke was supposed to meet me, but he wanted to stay and lift weights." Brooke asked, she must have just down at one of the tables. A waitress immediately rushed their table, looking rather frazzled. She must be new.

"Welcome to Karen's Café. Can I get you anything?"

"Pie. And lots of it." Nicole mumbled. Brooke smiled. "She'll have a slice of apple pie and a plate of mac and cheese. And I'll have... the same."

"Thanks." She muffled before scrambling to her next table.

"So my almost teenage slut, what's wrong?"

"Dad got a new blonde. And he's been acting all depressed lately. And.. I dunno." She sighed.

"Wow. Wasn't expecting anyone new yet. And I thought he was into..." Your mother.. her head screamed. But her mouth stopped. "...trying to get his shoulder back. That's probably why he's acting funny. Ya know? Tired and stuff."

"Yeah.. Maybe that is it." Nicole sighed.

- -

_I will admit I hate those things I said  
Girls will always cry, guys will never admit they did_

Nicole dressed for school the next day, specially putting on a cute outfit and doing her hair and make up. She walked down stairs to see Nathan trying to make eggs. Not pancakes, but it'd work. "Good morning dad." She smiled. He glanced over at her shortly.

"Hey." He said briefly, disinterested. She frowned, okay... what the heck.

"So, um. When are you going to be home from practice today?" She tried again.

He shrugged. "Late, I guess. But maybe you could go over to Brooke's so your not alone or something. Or you can stay here, doesn't matter to me." No, this wasn't happening. He couldn't, actually forget her 13th birthday. She really had thought he'd remember. She didn't actually think he'd forget. How could he forget!

"Well. Is there ANYTHING else before I leave for school on this lovely Tuesday?" Please remember, please remember...

"I don't think so. Have a good day. God I feel bad for you, School sucks, especially in Tree Hill" He grumbled to himself, and he walked out of the room. She bit her lip, fighting the tears. God, she was being such a girl. So he forgot, it's not the end of the world. Right...? She slammed the front door behind her, swinging her backpack over her shoulder as she began her walk to school. She flipped open her cell phone and dialed the familiar number.

- -

_Don't tell me that it's over,  
I'm not used to this temptation_

Hannah was lazily flipping threw channels as her mother busily scurried around the kitchen. The phone echoed through the room and Haley wiped the flour off her hands and answered it.

"Hello?" She sing-songed into the phone

"Mom..." She cried.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"He... he forgot. He really did. Not like "I bet he won't remember" He just didn't... at all." Nicole sobbed. She sat down on the nearest curb and buried her head in her hands.

"Oh good lord. Baby, go to Karen's. I'll talk to you soon." She rushed out. Great, now her mother didn't even want to talk to her.

"Hannah!" Haley called. "Pack a bag!"

- -

_And when you come back running,  
There is no use for explanation_

They got to Tree Hill at noon. Haley made Kenny find the quickest flight, and get her on it. They rushed into the Café, Karen must have closed it.

"We're closed." Karen shouted, hearing the bell ring, her back turned to them as she held a crying Nicole.

"Yeah, yeah." Nicole's head sprang up at the voice she sniffed and wiped away tears. "Gosh. Look at the mess he made this time. I swear, we should get him a personal babysitter. Or whatever they call them. Assistant maybe?" Haley says, rushing over to her and pulling her in a hug.

"Why did you come?" She muttered into her.

"I heard there's a sale on Macaroni and Cheese." She snorted. "I came for you of course. By the way. Happy Birthday." She whispered.

"Dude. You will not believe these sweet things we bought at the store yesterday. They are chouette!" Hannah says ignoring the tension in the room, and pulling something out of her bag.

"Chouette?"

"It means great or sweet or something like that in french." She brushed off. She handed her sister a small wooden music box. "You can have that one, mine is still in the car. It plays that one Disney song, 'When You Wish Apon a Star.'"

"Thank you."

"Come on ladies, let's go pig out on ice cream or something. You coming Karen?" Haley asked.

"No, thanks, but I need to open." Haley nodded and left, followed by Hannah.

"Um...Grandma?" Nicole started softly, Karen looked over. "Thanks for.."

"No problem, you are welcome here anytime." Nicole nodded and followed her mother as well.

"Um Mom?" Nicole started while they were in the car.

"Yeah baby."

"You do know that by telling me to go to Karen's that I kind of skipped school." She laughed, knowing normally her mother would never let her skip school, she liked it too much. A little too much in her opinion.

"That's alright. I'll call the school."

"Oh my gosh, do you know who's extremely hot?" Hannah asks as they pass a few stores.

"Usher?"

"Gross mom, he's older than you."

"Yeah, but he's hot..." She tried.

"Sean Pierce." Hannah says. Nicole's head snapped back at her.

"No, he's not. Do not say that."

"Whoa.. What's wrong with you?"

"I just, I used to know him. His dad was on dad's team a few years ago."

"And you were friends?" Hannah goaded.

"Drop it. That's all I'm telling you."

"Only Nathan." Haley sighed at the expansive size of the mansion, located at the dead end of a court. 2301 Beech Hailer Ct. "Nicole, you said you moved in over the weekend?"

"Yeah."

"Have you been to all the rooms in there yet?"

- -

_I think these things are too hopeful, even with my expert knowledge  
Most girls most do mean trouble, because they are rarely honest_

Nathan drove home at about seven that night, Cherie in tow. He wondered who's car was in his driveway. It had a Hertz license plate, therefore, it was rented.

Cherie giggled as he threw his arm around her waist and pulled her hip toward him as they walked up the walk to the front door. Nathan laughed as Cherie whispered something in his ear, but his smile faded when he saw who was sitting on the front step.

"Cher, why don't you go inside and wait for me okay?" He said, staring at Haley, but talking to Cherie. "What are you doing here, Haley?" He bit out, walking past her. He was aloud to mad. She left them. God, she did look hot though.

"You forgot." She whispered so he barely heard her, but he knew whatever it was: It wasn't good. He sat down next to her. "Forgot what?" He asked.

"You forgot their 13th birthday." She whispered, his head dropped. Damn it. "My parents forgot mine too. It was Quinn's first year at college, and they went to visit her that weekend."

"How did I forget that!" He yelled at himself. "Well. I didn't forget really. I just didn't know it was today. I mean, with the move and whatever, I just kinda forget about the date. I know it's the 21st. I'll have Alzheimer's disease before I forget that day. I still have nightmares about it. Oh, god, Hales, what am I gonna do?" Shivers shot threw her spine at the mention of her nickname.

"Well, my parents didn't even realize they had forgotten it, or if they did, they didn't admit it. So I'd say first thing would be to admit you're a screw up..."

"Are you EVER going to forget that?" He muttered angrily.

"Highly unlikely." She smirked. "Then, take her out another night to celebrate. But be prepared, that is probably the best guilt trip a girl could ask for. Guilt is power."

"Did you guilt trip your parents?" He winced.

"No. Part of me kind of hoped that they'd remember on their own, so I never said anything." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

"For what?"

"Being a screw up." He smiled, extending a hand to help her stand up. "And that your parents could never see how amazing you are."

Haley blushed. "Mr. Scott, your complimentary lines no longer work on me. I am not a groupie and therefore there is no reason to waste your charm on the likes of me. And by the way, thank you." She smiled, accepting his hand and leading him through the front door.

"Are those real?" Haley heard Hannah ask and as they turned the corner from the hallway into the kitchen she saw Hannah on a stool next to Cherie, pointing at her boobs. Cherie cleared her throat, and slapped on an annoyed, fake smile. Haley glanced over at Nicole who was clearly suppressing her giggles at her sister's interrogation as she stood across the island from them.

"Yes..." She gritted out. Haley held out an arm to block Nathan from walking any further into the kitchen.

"They don't look like it. My mom's are real. My mom sings. Do you sing?"

"No. I don't sing."

"Aw. Too bad... Don't you think that's sad Nicole?" She asked, Nicole agreed. And Hannah continued with her sarcastic questions.

"Do you dye your hair that shade of yellow or is it normally that odd colored?"

Cherie glared at her.

"Okay.. Guess so. Did you go to college Cherie?"

"I dropped out my sophomore year." She rolled her eyes as Hannah kept going.

"Gee, that's too bad. Our mom graduated. She's really smart. She hates most professional cheerleaders, she says that they are too pretty to have a brain. But, I'm sure that's not your case, right Cher? You don't mind if I call you Cher right?" Nicole couldn't take it anymore, she burst out in laughter and slid to the floor, leaning against a cabinet behind the island. Haley looked up at Nathan's face. She was surprised to see he was amused.

"Actually, I do mind."

"Oh. So, are you and my dad going to get married or something?" More laughter from behind island.

"We just started dating."

"Yeah, but you can't tell me you haven't thought about it. I mean, I've never been on date, seeing as how I just turned thirteen today, but I would think once I got to be your age, and I was dating, I'd think about commitment pretty quickly. I mean, you're like what? Twenty five?"

"Twenty one." She corrected. Haley's jaw dropped. Ten year difference! Nathan's eyes widened.

"Girls? Can we talk for a moment please?" He commanded, stopping the continuous laughter from behind the counter.

- -

_What's with the jokes, all the routines they play  
Screw with my head, never cave til they get their way_

"That was very rude girls." He scolded, after sending Cherie home.

"Kinda like forgetting our birthday." Nicole retorted.

Nathan sighed and sat down on a couch across from them.

"I didn't forget, I just... wasn't paying attention. I'm guessing Haley told you about the day you girls were born. Trust me, there's very slim chance that I'll forget that day. It's on my list of days that are imprinted in my mind."

"Yeah, by the way, thanks for choosing mom over us on that paper thing." Nicole muttered under her breath, Hannah sent her a death glare and elbowed her.

Nathan chuckled. "I chose a lot of things back then that I wouldn't of chose now. I mean, I hadn't even seen you yet, and I was in love with Haley, and I couldn't think to live without her and..."

"But you left anyways." Hannah whispered before standing up and running back into the kitchen.

"HANNAH!" He called after her, standing up to go after her, but Nicole pulled her down, shaking her head at him.

"Not now. She hasn't cooled off yet." She instructed. He nodded.

"Look, Nicole, I'm sorry. I can't even begin to tell you how bad I feel about forgetting. I promise I'll make it up to you. Anything you want-"

"Anything?" She smirked.

"Anything legal." He corrected.

"No more dating girls under like 25. You are 31 now dad. That's disgusting."

"Deal." He laughed. "31. When did that happen?" He sighed.

"I'm not sure. Sometime after 30, I'm guessing." She joked

- -

_Guys like to run, chicks like to yell you see  
Guys hate to fight, girls think its therapy_

"Hannah?" He whispered into a dark bedroom he heard cried omitting from.

"GO AWAY!" Her voice came into between sobs from the bed.

"Hann, talk to me. Please?"

"No."

"Okay, then I'll talk, you listen."

"I loved your mother very much. Heck, I still do love her. It's hard not to, something about her just... I can't really explain it. You'll know when you meet a guy and fall in love. Which WON'T be for a VERY long time!" He added quickly. "But, I was very young, and I'll admit, pretty much a jackass. But your mom never gave up on me. And part of me always figured she'd realize after a while that I wasn't good enough for her. But anyways, we started college and she really wanted to go to NYU, but I didn't get a scholarship there, and I always wanted to go to UCLA. And, then we got into this whole huge fight and the next thing I know my stubborn anger took over and I'm on a plane with Nicole to California. It killed me more than you know to leave you and your mother. You can even ask Brooke, I didn't get out of bed for like a week, probably more. I think I picked up the phone to call you guys that first month more times than I had touched a phone in my life. I kept thinking that once college was over, we'd be able to get over it, but then college was over, and I got drafted, and still hadn't talked to her. I came pretty close a few times, I talked to Lucas sometimes when we played them, and I saw her at one of the games, but I don't think she saw me. I came within like maybe five feet of her but I was too much of a punk to do anything about it." By now Hannah was smiling because she knew he wasn't talking like it was some kind of father-daughter bonding thing anymore. He was telling her because he needed to.

"And I wrote out a card for you for each of your birthdays. I just never mailed any of them, I'll give them to you once I unpack the box they're in. I'll warn you though, I suck at writing so they are probably pretty bad..." He sighed. "I had gone out with a lot of girls, not like I have been lately, but I was never serious with any of them, none were near Haley's standards. I guess she spoiled me or something." He chuckled.

"I met Kristin the day Nicole left for camp. I was sitting in one of those chairs at the airport, kinda sad she left me. Then she came up to me and asked if I could help her get her luggage, that it was stuck on the carousel or something. Then she asked if I was really me. And we had this long conversation about how she was a cheerleader and blah blah blah. She seemed cool, until I gave her that damn engagement ring. I sort of knew from the beginning that it wasn't going to work, but it might sound stupid, but I knew I was good enough for her. I never wanted to marry her, I just, I felt like I could marry her without worrying she'd leave me for someone else better than me. Maybe for someone with more money.. But not better. And then I saw Haley and it was weird, because part of me wanted to be with her, then the other wanted to show her that I could make a relationship work, by marrying someone else. Which was stupid, because the logic behind that would be to get Haley, but how could I get her if I was married to someone else..."

"HANNAH!" Haley interrupted, calling up the stairs. "HANNAH! WE'VE GOT TO GO NOW! YOU HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW!"

Hannah got up silently, kissing his cheek. She stopped at the door and whispered, "I love her too."

"I love you!" He called after her, thinking about what she said. Did he really love Haley like that anymore? God, what did he get himself into.

"Love you too!"

**REVIEW!**


	20. Love on Layaway

Gloria Estphan,(SP?) song.

**Chapter 20: Love on Layaway**

_If I could only have one wish this holiday  
Without a second thought I'd have to say_

The continuing yells from her mother finally woke her from her sleep. She looked out the window, the busy streets and rooftops of New York below were covered with white. At least, that's what she saw from their Penthouse view, but she knew that it wasn't white. It never stayed white in New York, the filthy cars flung threw it, causing it to turn a dingy brown color. She loved the fake view from her bedroom window, why couldn't it be white when she got downstairs?

She tapped her broken alarm-clock, as it finally went off, a hour late, silencing it from it's horrible opera music setting that she couldn't get it off of. Dragging her disappointed body out of her room and down the hallway, she found her mother ignoring the words coming from Kenny's mouth as she hummed along with the Christmas music on the radio. Haley had just released her newest album a few weeks ago, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. So Hannah flew to Tree Hill for Thanksgiving by herself, and spent the extended weekend with Nathan. Haley however, had been everywhere that weekend, promoting her album. She and Chris had been on TRL that Tuesday, the Today show Wednesday, Macy's day parade Thursday, Regis and Kelly Friday, a Movie Premiere Friday night, a few in- store signings Saturday morning, a concert Saturday night, and Sunday she had done her regular Make a Wish foundation work. Hannah could tell her mother was worn out, seeing as, she hadn't stopped her grueling schedule since.

"Your backpack is by the front door, and your breakfast is on the table. Have a good day last day sweetie." Haley said tiredly as Kenny shoved some papers in front of her. She kissed the top of Hannah's forehead. Hannah sighed as she grabbed her bagel off the table and backpack off the ground. Why did they decide to have us go to school until the 23rd? Don't they understand it was murdering the poor children's brains? She thought as she flipped out her cell phone when she reached the sidewalk.

- -

_That you can't find what I want in any store  
I just want you to be mine and nothing more_

Brooke was over, "talking" loudly with Nathan. Nicole groaned as she turned over, ignoring their angry tones. She couldn't make out what they were yelling anyways, and she was much too tired to get up and open her door to find out.

Hannah's ringer went off on her phone right as she was about to fall back asleep. The common noises of New York were heard in the background as she muttered a hello.

"Let me guess, you're not even up yet!" Hannah exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's what normal teenagers do at eight o'clock in the morning." Nicole murmured, half into her pillow, half into the phone.

"Not ones who have school!" She shouted.

"It's your last day. And remember, you have two weeks after Christmas of break time. I only have one."

"Yeah, but.. What am I going to do while you are at school that week?"

"Same thing I did this week: Sleep." Nicole said, hearing Hannah say hi to a few people as she entered the school. "You guys still flying down here after you get home from school?"

"Yeah, I hope." She sighed. "Did you hang the mistletoe?" She smirked.

"Yes..." She yawned. "So I guess that means we're still doing project NH?"

"Duh." Hannah smiled, closing her locker. "You can't expect them to do anything about it by themselves can you?"

"I don't know Hann... Sure dad told you all that stuff, but what if they really don't feel that way."

"Oh, please! One, when did you become the level- headed one? Two, you should have heard his voice, you could tell he still loved her, and three, Brooke said she could tell they were still crazy about each other. I mean, you had even said YOU noticed a change in him!"

"Yeah... but..."

"BUT WHAT! We're doing it, I don't care what you say. We'll see tonight. Bye." She rushed off the phone, running to her first class as the bell rang.

"Perfect. Just perfect." Nicole huffed as she slipped out of bed and walked sluggishly down the stairs. The yells from the kitchen stopped when they heard her coming down the stairs. She caught something about Christmas though.

"Goodbye Nathan." Brooke said curtly, glaring at him.

"Bye!" He rolled his eyes at her.

"What was that all about?" Nicole chuckled, pouring some coffee.

"I.. Don't have a clue actually. Something about Christmas and I better dress correctly or something." He laughed, staring at her confused. "Since when do you drink coffee?"

"Um. Since Hannah thinks she's cool and calls me to complain at annoying hours of the day."

He amusingly shook his head. "Of course, everything is blamed on Hannah.. How could I forget?"

"Well! If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have almost died! Or I wouldn't have had to spend most of my summer in a leaky- roofed cabin or-"

"Or you wouldn't have met your mother." He protests.

"You don't know that. You would've caved eventually." She smirks knowingly.

"That's doubtful. I'm not really Haley's number one fan, if you didn't notice." He says, zipping up his basketball bag.

"Yes you are. You just haven't noticed." She replies shortly, sticking her cold cereal spoon in her mouth and carrying her bowl off to watch television.

--

_No brand new clothes could fill my lonely soul  
When the snow falls on the ground and it gets cold_

Hannah sighed deeply as the traffic to the airport inched forward. They were going to miss their flight. The Sinatra Christmas CD that Haley was listening to helping her peevish state much. Not to mention the snow falling outside was beginning to get heavy, causing her to irritation with the world to grow. Finally sprinting through the terminal, Hannah and Haley end up looking at none other than a board that reads: Delayed. Some people who had raised an eyebrow at the girls running wildly down the airport had realized that it was Haley James who stood in front of them, and a crowd began to gather near to them.

"Great. Just great." Hannah pouted as Haley went up to check on the status of their flight. She had to admit it ticked her off even more that her mother could sit there as she waited in line, smiling and signing autographs like there was no tomorrow.

"Well, the snow storm has caused them to delay most flight. She said we can either wait here all night for our flight, or come back tomorrow for the eight am flight. But she lead me to believe that it would be best to take tomorrow's flight.

"Fine. Let's go home."

--

_No expensive gift you put under my tree  
Will keep me warm this holiday if you're not holding me_

"Need some help?" Nicole asks. The sight of Brooke, standing on a chair, attempting to string lights on a Christmas Tree, frankly, it frightened her.

"Yes!" She pleaded, watching her remove her scarf, coat, and hat. "Gettin' cold out there isn't it."

"Yeah. Dad says that it's the coldest winter here. I went on the internet and checked, it's not, but close. The lowest was in '89."

Brooke looked down at her surprised. "Okay, and I am being dead serious here, who are you and why are you turning are poor little Nicole into Haley?" She stared at her, seriously waiting for a response.

"Shut up Brooke, or I'll tell Uncle Luke that you bought yourself a new dress or four when you were supposed to be out Christmas shopping."

"SHHH! God, shut up, he'll hear you."

Nicole chuckled. "Where is he?"

"Not sure, he's creeping around here somewhere though." She grumbled.

"Nice way to talk about your fianceé." She smiled, handing her an ornament.

"Nicole, I think I'm pregnant." She blurted out, causing Nicole to drop the ornament. The sound of the shatter causes Lucas to appear from his office.

"Everybody alright?" He asked, alarmed.

"Yeah. Everyone is fine. Just fine." Brooke smiles fakely, and Lucas eyes them suspiciously, nodding and retreating back to his office.

"Nicole?" Brooke starts meekly, knowing it wasn't a good way to tell her. "Honey?"

"Brooke, I... I think I should be getting home. It's dark out." She lies.

"Do you need me to drive you?" She asks, worried, not about her safety, but more about her feelings.

"It's just around the block. I'll... I'll talk to you.. Uh. Later." She mumbled, tearing her coat and things off the rack and running out of the house.

--

_I don't want diamond rings, perfume or brand new shoes  
Baby all I want for Christmas is you_

"Can you hear me?" Haley laughed, waving a hand in front of Hannah's face as they once again look at the delayed board the next morning.

"I can hear you. I'm just not listening." She told her curtly.

"I'm glad your honest at least." Haley laughed bitterly. "Anyways, the guy next to us just told us that he was told we would be boarding inside the hour. We won't will the party, I promise."

--

_Santa bring, on your sleigh, just for me this holiday  
The one I want and make my dreams come true_

"Nicky...?" Brooke asked timidly into the house, peeking her head through the front door.

"She's with Karen, Brooke." Nathan grunted as he shoveled a large amount of cereal into his mouth, reading the sports page.

"...Nathan? How scared were you?" She asks, barely above a whisper.

"Huh?" He squints in confusion, looking up at her from his paper.

"When Haley told you she was pregnant?" She clarified.

"I don't know. I was still a teenager, my biggest worry before that was how many points I scored or if I failed my Chemistry test. Pretty scared I guess." He shrugged. "Why?"

"I... I think I may be pregnant Nathan." She squeaks weakly.

"Good for you Brooke." He smiles, going back to his cereal.

"That's all you're going to say?" She asks blankly.

"Brooke, in all the years you've known me who have I ever given an over-dramatic congratulations to?" He asks, rolling his eyes.

"Haley." She whispers. "Anyways, I should go, I wouldn't want to keep you from your cereal."

He frowns at the spot she had just occupied. Haley. Was he that obvious? No, he didn't have anything to be obvious about. She didn't say anything about now, right... he loved her before. That he could truthfully admit, he HAD loved Haley in high school. Now it's different though... right?

- . -

_I'll be good every day, I'll put some love on layaway  
And spend it all this Christmas on you  
_

"_Welcome to Tree Hill._" Haley reads in a horrible fake man voice. "Why thank you. I'm dreadfully glad to be here." Haley says, mocking a french woman's voice. Hannah rolls her eyes, unamused.

"Yeah, and we're only like 20 hours late. We could've driven here in half the time."

"Oh, we're fine... It's only one o'clock. And you need to get in a better mood or you are staying in the house tonight. Got it?"

"Whatever." She huffs.

They roll into Nathan's driveway, quickly getting out, hit by the surprisingly cold weather.

"NICOLE!" Hannah squeals into the house.

"She's with Karen, getting ready for tonight." Nathan answers, as Haley walks into the house, and no, that was not the breathe just taken from him at all. Definitely not. "Hi Haley."

"Hey Nathan." She smiles . "How are you?"

"Doing better. I just got a phone call from the doctor, I get to play next game."

"Nathan, that's awesome!" She grins, nudging Hannah.

"Yeah dad, cool." She states unenthusiastically. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"What's wrong with her?" Nathan asks.

"I dunno, she's just been acting very Peyton- like lately. I think she's mad at me. Or the airlines... or just the world in general. You never know anymore."

"So you have the next Peyton and I have the next Brooke. How is that fair?"

"Do YOU want her? She's driving me nuts. I'd take Brooke over Peyton any day." Haley says, checking behind her, knowing herself, she'd be the one to say it then have Peyton standing behind her.

"I'm not sure we're aloud to just trade them off at this point."

"Yeah we could... we could just... say we couldn't tell them apart! And they had a identity crisis and couldn't remember who was who." She jokes.

"I like this plan." He smiles mischievously.

"Me too." She smiles. "Anyways, I need to go make sure Miss. Sunshine isn't trying to drown herself, and I need to get ready. By the way, you aren't wearing that are you?" She references to his sweats.

"Haley, the party isn't until six. I have time to change."

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure your dressed properly, Scott. I don't want to have to go all Brooke on you, but I will." She says, walking out of sight.

- ' -

_Gonna put some love on layaway for you_

_Gonna spend it all this Christmas on you_

"Hey Cheery." Lucas smiles at Brooke as she comes into their bedroom. "Hey, wait, baby, what's wrong?"

"Luke..." She whispers, handing him a brown paper bag. He pulls out a pregnancy test.

"Pr- pregnant? Aa- are you?" He chokes out.

"I haven't taken it yet." She swallows. "I'm too scared."

"Brooke. I'm not saying I'm not scared, but it'll be alright if you are. We will get through it, together. I promise. Alright?" He tells her, lifting her head. She nods before going into the bathroom.

She set the timer for two minutes. 120 seconds, and counting. His leg was subconsciously shaking and his heart was racing. 105 seconds. His new dress shoes were extremely interesting. 94 seconds. He rubbed her back reassuringly. 82 seconds. She told him to breathe. 68 seconds. His neck tie starts to become just a little tight. 52 seconds. He popped a tick tack in his mouth. 40 seconds. He accidently swallowed it. 29 seconds. She laughed at him, she actually could laugh. Unbelievable. 15 seconds. She was talking about how cute baby clothes are, and the extra room they had which they could make into a nursery. 7 seconds. He still couldn't breathe. It rang shrilly. She walked back into the bathroom to retrieve it. He paced the bedroom. Tears streamed down her face as she returned.

"It's negative Luke."

-..-

_If I could win your heart and show you how I feel  
Ain't no way you're gonna find a better deal_

Her black high heels clicked as she slowly walked down Nathan's stairs, obliging the loud calls that echoed through the mansion. The silky black fabric hit just above her knee and came to a V on her chest. She struggled with her light green sweater and earrings as she walked.

"Don't fall, mom. Don't you dare fall." Hannah cautioned.

"I am not going to fall." Haley swears as her eyes meet Nathan's.

"Famous last words." Nicole mutters.

"You look beautiful Haley."

"Thanks." She blushes. "You're tie is... a disgrace." She laughs as she wraps her arms around his neck, grabbing the length of his tie.

Over her head, he notices Hannah and Nicole suppressing their giggles. He glares at them and mouths Shut Up. They don't listen. "Get in the car girls."

_I've been saving all my loving for so long  
And after Christmas is over it still keeps going on_

**NEXT: Who new plays a small role in the next chappy?**

**PROJECT NH: In effect**

**NOTE: The Brucas thing... I have a point. I know it was sorta random and w/e, but I promiseI do for once have a point.**


	21. Better Days

**I seriously love this chapter. It was so much fun to write. Ahhhh! Im excited! Read and Enjoy! MERRY CHRISTMAHANNAKWANSIKA (can anyone seriously spell that? IF you can... let me know because... wow.)**

**Chapter 21: Better Days**

_And you ask me what I want this year  
And I try to make this kind and clear  
Just the chance that maybe we'll find better days_

"Hales, you really don't need to do that. I can fix my own tie." He informed her. She smelled like her normal, intriguing perfume. Her hair was it's normal brown, curly mess, just the way he liked it.

"No you can't you liar." She smiled. She looked up into his eyes, and immediately blushed and looked away. She walked over to the coat rack, smiling as Nathan helped her into her black pea coat. She muttered her thanks, opening the front door. "Oh Nathan! It's snowing!" She gasped. It hadn't snowed in Tree Hill for Christmas since she was a little girl.

"So?" He grumbled outwardly, although his stomach was doing all those gushy, annoying things that only came with watching Haley be so happy. He watched as she twirled around and around on her way to the car. He followed.

"Nathan! It's snowing on Christmas Eve! That means there will be snow on the ground on Christmas morning, and even that it could be possibly snowing!" She told him, shutting his large SUV door behind her.

"It's not that big of a deal." He groaned.

"Yeah, dad, actually it is." Nicole piped up from the back. Hannah nodded in agreement.

"Why is it always 3 on one? Nicole, you're supposed to be on my side." Nathan tried.

"Oh please, you're just mad because no one cares about what you think. And I've never been on your side about anything. Ever." She blew out. He glanced over at Haley who was smirking to herself.

"Oh, and I suppose you think it's funny!"

"No one cares what you think." She repeated, turning up the volume on the Christmas music.

-..

_Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings  
And designer love and empty things  
Just the chance that maybe we'll find better days_

"It's negative, Luke." She cried.

"Did you want it to be positive?" He asked timidly, embracing her in a tight hug. Her tears drenched the front of his shirt as she considered it. Finally, she nodded her head yes.

"Well, maybe we could go to the doctors to make sure this week."

"It had to of been wrong. I had all these signs, and at first I thought the vomiting was just because maybe I was sick. It is winter. But then it was every time I smelt something nasty. And then my period came, and went, without you know, actually coming. And then I started getting these headaches, and all I want to do is sleep. And I was listening to Peyton talk, well complain, about her pregnancy and then I started to realize that those were all things that were happening to me! And first I thought, I can't deal with this, I can't be a mother. But then, I actually started thinking about having a family with you, and buying baby clothes and all that stuff... and I started liking the idea." She cried slightly to him, in a very rushed, blurred manner, causing him to only catch about half of it.

"Brooke,I want to have a family with you too." He smiled.

-..

_So take these words  
And sing out loud_

"Why won't tell me? It's Christmas! Come on, give me something!" Hannah goaded Nicole as they walked from their car into the café.

"He's just... my best friend. That's it."

"Do you still talk to him?"

"Once in a while, but not very much anymore." She sighed disappointedly, slapping on a happy face as Karen ran at them.

Lagging behind, Haley shivered as the cold air fit her nylon-clad legs.

"I still can't believe it's snowing!"

"Yeah, yeah... It's freezing, let's get inside." Nathan pouts, still brooding over his earlier defeat.

"You're such a baby. Hold on one second." She told him, grabbing his hand to stop him and sticking out her tongue.

"Haley," Nathan groaned tiredly. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to catch a snowflake... come on, try it."

"I don't want to. I just want to go inside, where it's warm, and eat a ton of food!"

"DO IT!" She yelled, shocking him into sticking out his tongue and bending forward slightly. Hearing laughter behind them, he straightens up and turns around.

"Haley James getting THE Nathan Scott to act like a child. Some things never change, huh?" The man smiles, causing Haley to turn around as well.

"MOUTH!" She exclaims, rushing over to hug him. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas Haley." He smiles. "Hey Nathan."

"Hey man, Merry Christmas...What are you doing here, I thought you were staying in New York for a while?"

"Well, I had to film some of our lovely hometown for a project I'm working on," He said, flashing his camcorder. "And no time better than the holidays. I was plesently surprised about the snow, I just wish I would have known about this freezing cold."

Nathan flashed Haley a look. "I never said it wasn't cold. I said I loved snow. Huge difference." She defended. "Mouth, do you wanna have dinner with us? We're all meeting at the Café."

"I'm not really dressed..."

"So? Everyone will love to see you... pleeease?" She begged, giving him her classic eyes.

"Not the eyes Haley... man... yeah I'll come."

"Yes! Come on, let's get inside before the big baby over here cries or something."

"Watch who you're calling names Haley." He said sternly, raising his eye brows.

"What would you do about it?" She smirked, as he held open the door for her. "Such a gentlemen. You're doing well for a screw-up." She laughed, emphasizing screw-up. "Everyone, look who we found."

"Is that MOUTH!" Peyton smiled as she hurried her five month pregnant body over to him.

"The one and only." He grinned, greeting everyone.

_-..._

_Cuz everyone is forgiven now  
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again_

"Where are Lucas and Brooke?" Karen wondered aloud as she and Haley busily prepared the large dinner.

"I don't know." She shrugged, mashing potatoes.

"Well, they better get here soon. I-" Karen started.

"PIMP DADDY!" Hannah screamed from the other room, causing Haley and Karen to retreat from the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas Lucas, Brooke." Karen smiled at them.

"Is dinner almost ready mom? I have barely eaten at all today."

"Almost. We made enough to feed the city though. Goodness." She replied.

"Not with Haley here." He chuckled when Haley's head and arm shot up, punching his arm. "Kidding Hales, just kidding."

"What are you three laughing at?" Haley shot over at Hannah, Nicole, and Jenny, who were giggling crazily.

"You... guys are... under... the mistletoe." Hannah laughed.

Both Haley and Lucas looked up quickly, sure enough, it was hanging mockingly above their heads. The room became silent as they stared at it.

"Haley, I thought you made sure there wasn't any hanging this year." He muttered, eyes fixed on the suspended plant.

"So did I."

"Why does this happen to us?"

"Tradition hates us, Lucas Scott. I thought you knew that."

"JUST KISS ALREADY!" The girls shouted frustrated.

"If your tongue comes-" Haley started.

"I know Haley, I know." He laughed as he bent down. He placed an abrupt peck on her lips before they both turned away in disgust.

"Ready to spike the Egg Nog now Luke?" Keith chuckled.

"Please, Keith, you were ready to spike it an hour ago." Dan snickered.

"He already DID and hour ago! Stop trying to make the kids drunk, Keith." Karen scolded.

"He's not trying to get us drunk, he's trying to get himself drunk." Lucas laughed.

"A wise man once said, "Family gatherings are easily beared with a little love and a whole lot of alcohol." Keith replied.

"That was you!" Lucas chuckled. "You told me that in the third grade."

"And if I remember correctly, that was also the first year you had to kiss Haley. See, you should have taken my advice."

"Hey!" Haley spoke up. "This is NOT pick on Haley day."

"Everyday is pick on Haley day, just no one ever tells you." Nathan smirked.

"Hey, now, enough of that, Haley, I need you in the kitchen."

-...

_I need someplace simple where we could live  
And something only you can give  
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive_

Soon after, dinner was on the super-extended table and everyone was chattering as usual. Karen was telling Haley and Deb how she missed having this dinner at her home, but it would be too hard with so many people this year. The men sat toward the other end, fully consumed in a discussion about what else, basketball. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls sat at the opposite end, giggling at Brooke's story from college.

Then the annual gift-exchange took place. As a rigged tradition, Lucas and Haley had gotten each other, Keith and Karen, Deb and Dan, and because of Nathan and Brooke, Peyton got Brooke this year, Nathan and Jake, and then Nicole got Jenny, Jenny got Hannah, and Hannah got Nicole. The gifts were stupid and fun, usually poking fun at the other one. Lucas had gotten Haley a video game, then told her its so she can play it when she has "extra time" in which Haley replied wistfully, "Who told you I had extra time, maybe when I die..." In return, Haley had gotten him a book entitled, "The Book for People Who Have Read Every Other."

Hours later, Jenny, Nicole, and Hannah had all been taken home by Peyton and Jake, who took Nathan's car since they had gone there with Karen and Keith. Mouth had gone home a little while after dinner, after taking adequate footage and pictures of the whole gang. Deb and Dan had left, claiming fatigue. Leaving Karen, Brooke, and Haley to finish cleaning up the leftovers, while Lucas, Keith and Nathan had a very active conversation about the 'Direction of the politics of this nation of ours."

"Alright, see you guys tomorrow." Lucas yawned, closing his car door and starting his engine.

As Nathan and Haley turned the corner, they stared at the empty parking spot that Nathan's car used to occupy.

"Crap, I forgot Peyton and Jake took my car. You think we could still catch a ride with Karen and Ketih?"

Haley's frown quickly grew to a knowing smirk as she looked over at Nathan. "They've left, trust me."

"What?"

"Tradition, Nathan. Tradition, and once again its coming to bite us in the ass." She told him, turning around and walking back onto the sidewalk. "Karen and Keith..they... have a little fun on Christmas Eve. And they aren't playing with any toys."

"Ohhh..." He understood. "We could call someone?"

"At," She checked her watch. "One thirty in the morning? I don't think so. We can walk, it's not THAT far."

"Yes it is, it's definitely more than a mile!"

"Said Mr. I get paid to be an athlete." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I do. So when I get pneumonia from being out here in the freezing cold, I'll tell them YOU wouldn't let me call anyone."

"Okay, you do that." She laughed.

"I will." He pouted.

"The snow looks so pretty, doesn't it?" Haley smiled warmly up at her surly walking partner.

"Yes Haley. It does." He replied angrily.

"My feet hurt though." She complained.

"Take 'em off then." He muttered.

"I can't, hello, snow is accumulating on the ground."

Nathan stopped and sighed. "You wanna piggy back ride."

"But it's 'More than a mile,'" She mocked.

"Yeah, but I do get paid to be up to it right?" He smiled arrogantly, flexing his arm, which was covered in his sweater and coat.

"Does your head EVER deflate?"

"If it did, I'd lose all my charm." He smirked his trademark smirk, making Haley get rather flustered. "So, you on or not?"

"There isn't a catch or hidden fee is there?"

"Well, now that you mention it..." He joked slyly, bending over to allow her access to his back.

"Thank you Nathan."

"No problem, and by the way, you had to of lost like... fifty pounds since I last carried you."

"Last time you carried me, I was pregnant and huge."

"Good Point." He laughed.

**.&.**

_And the one poor child that saved this world_

_And there's 10 million more that probably could_

_If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them_

"What do you think mom and dad are doing?" Hannah questioned into the dark of their bedroom

"Prolly comin' home." Nicole muttered into her pillow.

"How can you sleep? Christmas is tomorrow, plus, mom and dad still aren't home. It's one forty five!"

"Go. To. Sleep." She commanded.

"Our plan didn't work." She continued. "The mistletoe backfired and we didn't have time to do anything else."

"Uh huh..."

"We need to get them together. They love each other."

"Uh huh..."

"So, what are we going to do about it? Nicole... Nicole! Great, thanks a lot." She muttered to a sleeping Nicole.

**-...**

_I wish everyone was loved tonight_

_And somehow stop this endless fight_

_Just a chance that we'll find better days_

"Finally!" Nathan sighs as they turn onto his street.

"You can put me down now."

"Gladly. You weigh a ton!" He fakes seriousness, watching Haley's face fall. "Kidding, you're like... tiny now." But his 'save' was too late, Haley had already hit him with a snowball. "Hey..."

She quickly jumped on his back, tumbling him to the ground before he could hit her with one too. Except, her plan didn't go as planned, and they rolled over, leaving Haley on his chest. They were both laughing, still woozy from the Egg Nog.

"Haley..." Nathan whispered.

"Huh?" She laughed, but got cut off by Nathan's lips crashing into hers.

"I love you."

REVIEW!


	22. Stay With Me

The last chapter's song was Better Days by Goo Goo Dolls

This chapter's song is Stay with Me by Josh Gracin. Enjoy.

**Chapter 22: Stay With Me**

_Baby, the clock on the wall is lying  
It's not really that late  
It's too cold outside to be walking around  
the streets of this town  
Anywhere if you think you have to be, can wait_

"You, you what!" Haley gasped, pulling away from him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Unexpected, yes, but not unbelievable. She knew she loved him, at least that much was obvious to her. But she figured he had long since moved on from her, seeing as he had been through more women in the last few months than she had men in her entire life. Not that saying that meant much, however, she could count the number of men she had been on even one date with on one hand.

"I said I loved you, Haley." His voice hitched slightly, but his expression played it off. Her eyes were flighting his stare and she was biting her lip. He knew she was caught with her guard down. He could almost laugh at her mannerisms, they never changed.

"I, I heard what you said, but you don't mean that... you can't." She stuttered, shaking her head like the idea was absurd, ignoring his outstretched hand and pulled herself off of the ground.

"I can't?" He challenged, a smirk playing at his lips.

"No, you cannot," she confirmed, "because, because..uh we..." She mumbled, her sentence trailing off as he moved closer to her. She closed her eyes as she felt his breath on her skin.

"What were you saying again?" He breathed huskily, causing her to shudder.

Her lips collided perfectly with his. He placed one hand on her lower back, pulling her hips closer to him, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

-.--.-.-.-.-

_Why don't you stay with me?  
Share all your secrets tonight  
We can make believe the morning sun never will rise _

"I told you!" Hannah smiled as she and her drowsy sister watched the scene below from their bedroom window.

"Holy crap." Nicole mumbled, rubbing her head in the spot where her headache was forming. "Just, wow. That's about all I can say."

"See, maybe our plan did work!"

"Shut up, Hann. Our plan did nothing. It barely even "went into effect." So just shut up. They did that," She told her, waving her hand in their direction tiredly, "by themselves. Which is actually the way I prefer it." She finished, walking back to her bed.

Hannah made a mocking face as she continued to gaze at her parent making out in the front yard. "This is going to be interesting." She smirked at no one in particular, turning away from the window and following her sister back to bed.

A few minutes later Nicole got the strength to mumble, "You do realize we've like totally switched roles here, right?"

-.-.-

_Come and lay your head on this big brass bed  
And we'll be alright as long as you stay with me, yeah_

It was still snowing blissfully the next morning, and Haley opened her eyes, aware of the content smile playing at her lips. It took a minute for her to take in her surroundings. Plain white sheets, plain white walls with a few scattered frames and posters hanging, regular wood dresser, a stereo, a plasma tv, Nathan's arms wrapped around her semi-naked body.

She turned over to look in his eyes, but he only held on tighter, burring his head in the crook of her neck.

She laughed."Merry Christmas, sleepy head." She whispered in his ear.

"Mmmm..." He moaned indistinctly.

"It's Christmas, Nathan. Wake up!"

"No."

"The girls are going to be up soon." She informed him.

He lifted his head to look at the clock, shooting Haley a death glare, then dropped his head back to it's resting place.

"It's nine o'clock you big baby." She smiled. "Get up now and maybe I'll reward you."

One of his eyes peeled open in consideration.

"Fine. Don't get up. Miss Christmas and the presents, I don't care."

"Presents!" He exclaimed, springing to life. "You got me presents!"

"You'll never know, you wanted to stay in bed, remember?"

"Nah, I'm out of bed, see? Now let's go wake up the girls." He told her. He took a giant step toward the door, but his left foot got stuck in the sheets and he ended up falling face first to the floor, creating a large thud.

"Oh, Nathan." Haley giggled. "Are you okay?"

"FINE." He muttered.

"Shhh... You'll wake the girls." She laughed.

"SO? It's Christmas morning!"

"How about we just go make some coffee and cuddle up on the couch together until they wake up?" She suggested, pulling the sheets off of his foot.

"You tricked me." He muttered, watching the sly smile on her face spread.

-.-.-

_Baby, there's just no use in hiding  
The way that I am feeling right now_

"Good morning, Jenny. Merry Christmas." Peyton smiled at the teenager who had just entered the room. Jenny however, didn't smile back. She wore a scowl with her messy hair and crumpled pajamas. She stuck to laying down on the couch opposite Peyton and covering her head with a throw pillow. Jake came in moments later, handing Peyton a mug full of steaming tea, and sat down on the couch with her. He threw questioning eyes at Jenny's form and Peyton merely shrugged.

"Merry Christmas, Jenny." Jake spoke loud and clear.

"Yeah, yeah. Merry Christmas. Look, can we just get this over with? I have a, I have to meet someone at two forty five."

"A guy?" Jake demanded.

"Yes. A guy." She tried to mock in cover up of her blushing. Not successfully.

Jake's whole body stiffened. "I have to meet him before you go out."

"Dad, no, please. You're going to embarrass me." Jenny protested.

"Jenny, you are only fourteen years old, no guy is that important at fourteen. Besides, I just want to meet him." He responded, and Peyton nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm so sick of this! All of my friends don't have fathers that interrogate their friends!"

"I don't interrogate ALL of your friends, just the guys. I know guys, I am one. And I don't understand why you are getting so upset, you had to of expected this."

"See this is why I don't tell you guys anything anymore. God! Just go have more kids and forget about me!" Jenny yells, stomping out of the room as she fights back tears.

"Merry Christmas to you too honey!" Jake calls after her. "I'm sorry, Peyton. I don't know what's gotten into her lately."

"I do." Peyton tells him. "It's pretty obvious actually. She thinks that since she's technically not my child, that we'll treat her differently when the baby comes."

"But.. That's crazy. Jenny's my baby girl. She knows I'll always love her."

"Okay, so maybe she thinks that I will. You know, now that I have my own, I won't care as much about her. I'm going to go talk to her. We'll be back."

-.-..-.

_With you standing there baby I swear I can't help but stare  
Girl you're wearing me out, wearing me out  
_

"Brooke? Where are you?" Lucas called up the stairs. He was cooking her breakfast, they had been up for a while now, thanks to Brooke. They had opened their gifts and Brooke went upstairs to shower, but that was almost an hour ago. "Brooke?" He called again, slightly worried, taking the stairs two at a time. "Brooke?" He questioned softly, knocking on the bathroom door and pressing his ear against it.

A feeble "huh?" Came from inside and Lucas opened the door, only to see Brooke hunched over the toilet.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" He soothed, running her back.

"The test... the test... it had to be wrong..." Her voice wavered as tears started to stream down her face.

"Brooke, I told you, we will go to the doctors as soon as we can. If you want, I'll even take you to the hospital today."

"No. No, no. No. No hospital." She confirmed. "I can wait."

"Good, so, are you done in here? I made breakfast."

"Yeah, just let me clean up a little and I'll be down."

"Okay. I love you."

"Love you too." She whispered as he closed the door, she leaned back against the bathtub and ran a hand over her stomach.

-.-.--

_So why dont you stay with me share all your secrets tonight  
We can make believe  
the morning sun never will rise _

Peyton crept up the stairs silently, retrieved a book from underneath her bed, and softly knocked on Jenny's bedroom door.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Peyton asks, coming into her room and sitting down next to her on her bed. Jenny was hugging her pillow and had been noticeably crying. She nodded when she noticed the book Peyton was holding. Pages were falling out and edges of various things were sticking out in all directions.

"I wasn't going to show you this until you were older, and I had finished it." Peyton explained, opening the binding to reveal the first page.

"Is that me?" Jenny asked, pointing to a picture of their gang on graduation. Jenny was resting on Peyton's hip and Jake was kissing her cheek.

"Yep. And that's Haley, in case you couldn't tell. She was so pregnant, poor thing." Peyton laughed, remember the day. She turned the page to show various pictures of the three that summer.

"Why is everyone crying on this page?" She asked.

"That was moving day. Everyone was being scattered all over the country. That was the last day that we were all together for a really long time. After Nathan and Haley divorced, it seemed for a while that everyone kind of took sides, except us."

"My birthday?" Jenny asks, looking at the next page.

"Yep. Three years old." Peyton smiled. "This, was our wedding day."

"You looked beautiful." Jenny commented.

"Yeah, well, I was a wreck. It's funny, I remember every minute of that day, yet I still have no idea how it all happened. It was like we were just laughing about it one minute, then the next we were at city hall getting a marriage licence." Peyton laughed, shaking her head.

"Peyton? Why are you showing me this?"

"Because, I wanted to show you that you can't be replaced. Your father and I love you, and this baby is just going to add to our family, not take away you."

"I know, I was being stupid, it's just, I can't help but think that everything is going to change."

"Yeah, it is, and trust me, I hated change when I was your age, but maybe it's for the best."

"Or maybe it's for the worst."

"Or MAYBE! You are turning into me, god help us all!" She laughed.

"I'm not so sure that would be a bad thing." Jenny disagreed.

"You didn't really know me back then, and I think that might be a good thing. Anyways, you should have this book, and we'll work on it together."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just remember, the blank pages at the end are going to fill up sooner or later, but only you can decide if they're happy or sad." She wisely stated, "now come on, we've got gifts to open."

-.-.-.

_Come and lay your head on this big brass bed  
We'll be alright as long as you stay with me  
Baby don't go it looks like it's starting to rain  
And it's so warm here in this apartment wrapped up in this blanket _

"God, doesn't anyone understand the concept of sleep around here anymore?" Nicole grouched, she was the last one to wake up.

"Yeah, we do. You just don't understand to concept of waking up." Hannah told her, handing her a coffee cup as she sat down next to her on the couch opposite Haley and Nathan.

"What is going on with them?" She asks to Hannah as if Haley and Nathan couldn't hear her.

"Not sure."

"Yeah, well, it's freaking me out."

"You don't remember last night at all do you?"

"Yeah, you woke me up you bitch."

"Hey, language." Haley scolded. Nicole glared at her. Nathan kissed her temple and rubbed her back.

"Hey, no PDA." She mocked. "Especially since... wait. You two aren't like... together or something now right?"

"I thought we weren't going to talk about my love life as long as they were over 25 years old." Nathan smirked.

"Whatever, It's about time you too got together." Nicole grumbled as Hannah nodded in agreement. "So? Presents?"

"Go ahead and open them. I've only been waiting two hours." Nathan laughed bitterly.

"Oh please, you act like the wait was unbearable." Haley rolls her eyes.

"Close enough." He says, she pinches him. "Ow. Sorry." He said, giving her a quick kiss. The rustling of paper stopped and they looked over at the girls who were looking at them blankly.

"That's going to take a lifetime to get used to." Hannah muttered.

"Totally. You think they're going to be doing that all the time?"

"God I hope not." She says, going back to her present.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too."

Thanks to all of the reviews. I got the most ever for the last chapter!

3 Katie


	23. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

Hey hey hey! Good job with the reviews, as always  
Here's your update. If you don't know the band that sings this song, get off my planet. This song is a classic. But it's Aerosmith, so you can stay on my planet because now you know. Without further ado:

**Chapter 23: I Don't Want To Miss A Thing**

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
While you're far away and dreaming _

Brooke stirred awake in Lucas's arms, hearing the soft melody ringing from the alarm clock. She sprang up, hitting Lucas hard in the face. He groaned and grabbed his jaw. "Good morning to you too, Brooke." He frowned.

"Lucas! We overslept! We have to be at the doctor's office in thirty minutes!" She cried, rushing to pull clothes out of the closet. "Which one? The loose and comfy, Im-sick-and-clearly-have-no-idea-what-is-wrong-with-me pajamas? Or the less loose, but more fitting Im-pretty-sure-I-know-why-Im-here-but-Im-still-nervous velour sweet suit?" She rambled quickly. Lucas had half a mind to groan and throw a pillow over his head, but he understood how important (though in his mind crazy) it was to Brooke.

"I think you look perfect in either, but I don't know if wearing 'Im sick and clearly have no idea what is wrong with me' pajamas is best. You do have an idea."

"Thanks, Broody. You were actually helpful for once." She smiled, walking briskly toward the shower. A few moments later Lucas's head came off the pillow.

"What do you mean 'for once'?" He pouted to no one, lifting his body out of the bed. He found a button up shirt that appeared and smelled as though it was clean, and a pair of khaki pants. Brooke returned, clad in only two towels: one around her head and another around her torso.

"Luke? Have you seen my long white socks?" She asked, searching threw her drawers.

"I don't think you have any of those." He answered in confusion.

"Of course I do. Everyone woman should have at least one pair. They're like regular underwear, you can't always wear thongs. You need some for when-"

"Brooke! I get it!" He exclaimed in horror. "I haven't seen them." He tossed back over his shoulder as he took his turn in the shower.

"Gosh, men. Unbelievable worthless." She shook her head as she went back to searching for the elusive socks.

About fifteen minutes later, they were in the car and on their way. Brooke had given up on the search for the socks, settling for ankle ones instead, and Lucas had agreed to change his shirt to a freshly washed black one. Lucas smiled to himself as he watched Brooke play with her nails as she hummed indistinctly along with the song on the radio. She drove him insane sometimes, but moments like this he treasured. It may sound cheesy, but he'd gladly take her yelling at him a million times over for not wearing correctly matching shoes if it meant he could see her smile at him when he told her she looked beautiful.

"We're here." He announced, pulling into the parking lot. "And on time."

"Thank, god. You were driving like Haley." She remarked, opening her car door and getting out.

"I was being cautious." He defended, sliding his arm around her waist as they walked into the doctor's office together.

"Overly cautious if you ask me." She rolled her eyes. "You were brooding, weren't you?"

"I was not brooding. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have such a beautiful person sitting next to me." She'd never know the truth in his words.

Rolling her eyes, she approached the front desk. "10 am appointment for Brooke Davis?"

The nurse at the front desk shifted some papers around, before punching in her name. "Ah, yes, there you are. You can have a seat until you're called. It won't be much longer, there is only two more patients ahead of you."

"Thank you." She smiled weakly. Lucas had already dived into the worn September edition of Sports Illustrated, clearly set there for all the men who had accompanied their significant others. "So, it won't be much longer." She gulped. He looked up from his readings.

"Don't be so nervous. I'll be here for you the entire time. I'm always going to be here for you." He confirmed as he took her hands. A lone tear escaped from Brooke's eye and he gently wiped it away. "Always."

"Ms. Davis?" A nurse called from the doorway, hold a manilla file in one hand.

**--**

_I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Every moment spent with you  
Is a moment I treasure _

"I am seriously going to go Texas Chainsaw Massacre on someone if I don't get some sleep! Why in the hell does everyone feel the need to be up so freaking early!" Nicole shouted from atop the stairs, sending the entire house into pure silence.

"God, I know how you feel." A small voice squeaked behind her, startling her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, honey." Haley laughed. Her hair was ruffled and her face had lines on them from her pillow.

"You weren't up? I thought you wake up at like, the butt-crack of dawn or something." She grumbled.

"Usually, but I didn't get much sleep last night." She admitted, hoping to god she didn't realize why.

"Why?" Nicole questioned, too tired to think about possible reasons.

"Just... stuff." She shrugged, a small lying smile tugging at her lips. Haley had never been the best liar.

"Whatever... can you just get whoever's down there to shut up so I can go back to sleep?"

"Of course." Haley smiled, pressing a small kiss on her forehead as she moved past her down the steps. Immediately she regretted the decision, her appearance was less than satisfactory by the music business standards. One of the many downfalls of her career, although she could normally avoid most of the negative comments with an acceptable response to a reporter's question. She was dreading the upcoming month. Red carpets were rolled out all over the place, and she was expected to attend at least half, if not more because of her album drop. Pushing the thoughts of personal questions, nightmarishly tall high heels, and pictures in magazines to the back of her head with a simple shake, Haley continued to search threw the expansive house for the voices that were seemingly teasing her by coming from what seemed like all over.

The kitchen came before she found the owners of the voices and she decided to make a small pit-stop.

"Can I get you something, Miss?" A pleasant-looking woman smiled at her.

"Uh... no. But you... uh... could please tell me who you are." Haley half-smiled apprehensively.

"My name is Jackie, dear. I'm Mr. Scott's maid. I just started this morning, but have familiarized myself with most of the rooms already, except for the bedrooms, as they were seemingly occupied, but I know this kitchen if you need something."

Haley resisted the urge to snort in laughter. Why is it that Nathan getting a maid didn't surprise her? "Um, no thanks, Jackie. I'm just going to have a croissant. " She told her politely, grabbing a pastry out of the container and shuffling out of the room quickly. For some odd reason, she felt intimidated by the new maid. They had always made her uncomfortable, mainly because they could easily know everything about you. And they had that knowing smile that kind of creeped her out.

"Haley? Babe, is that you?" Nathan's voice called from behind the slightly ajar door she had just passed. She had yet to be down this way in the few days she had been here. It seemed sort of off limits, but she was afraid of the catastrophic events that might occur if Nicole was woken again.

She pulled back her hair, making herself somewhat presentable. After opening the door, she wished she hadn't. A long brown table lay in front of her, filled with important looking men in suits that looked identical. Nathan sat in a big chair closest to the door. "Hi. I hope you don't mind I'm down here, I just, Nicole, and she was going to kill someone if she didn't get some sleep, and thinking about it, I still haven't seen Hannah and-" She rambled breathlessly, only to see Nathan's smiling face.

"Hales, calm down. I don't care, go wherever you want. Peyton dropped Jenny and Hannah off at some store. And Nicole always wants to kill someone." He told her, sliding his arm around his waist to bring her onto his lap. He leaned in to kiss her, but her back tensed and he noticed she was looking at the room of men who were also visibly uncomfortable. "Oh, yeah, guys, this is Haley James, the love of my life," He said with adoration, watching her blush feverishly. "Haley, these are the people that take care of my crap." He added dully.

"Nice to meet you. Um, I think I should probably go... I need to shower and stuff, I'm a mess." She smiled apologetically. He drew her in closer and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"I think you look beautiful, but I need to get back to this meeting. But we're going out when I'm done, alright?" He whispered in her ear.

"Of course, sweetheart. I'll just have Jackie iron my best and oh, maybe she can fluff you're pillow too!" Haley mocked, feigning sweetness.

Nathan cringed. "I'm never going to hear the end about having a maid, am I?"

"Duh." She rolled her eyes, walking back toward the open door. "You screw up."

He laughed as the door closed and he faced the room of men. "Well, where were we?"

**--**

_I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
Cause I'd miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing_

"I bet you she's still sleeping." Hannah laughed from inside a dressing room.

"Wouldn't surprise me." Jenny agreed. She threw a shirt over Hannah's door. "Try this on. And I think I might buy that sweater, but maybe in the lime green instead of the purple?"

"Who is 'Armor for Sleep?'" Hannah questioned, reading the band name on the vintage shirt she was given.

"A band. Duh." Jenny laughed. "My mom told me about them. She gave me a cd of theirs. I really liked it. Car Underwater was probably their best track."

Hannah pulled back the curtain, walking to the mirrors. "Alright, so I'm confused here. One day you call her Peyton, and the next you're calling her mom. What's up with that? And I think I need to buy this shirt, it looks so choice with this plain black shirt under it, but do I need this mini skirt too?"

"Yes, you do. And these converses." Jenny wisely told her, throwing a pair of white and black classic converses at her. "I don't know.. It's complicated. She's not really my mom, but she still is in all the ways that count. God, why is Tree Hill filled with so much drama? I can't wait to get out of this sinkhole."

"Like it gets much better once you leave. Look at our parents. It seems like Tree Hill follows you no matter where you go. And you're so buying that sweater." Hannah says, retreating back to the dressing room.

"Only two years 'till I can drive though. Maybe I'll drop out, change my name and move to Canada." Jenny smiles wistfully at her reflection in the mirror. Hannah sticks her head out of the room.

"Like you could handle living in Canada. You get mad when the temperature drops below 60 degrees."

"Then-"

"Don't even say Mexico because you dropped out of your Spanish class."

"FINE! Then I'll move to France!"

"I thought you said you were going to drive though... you couldn't drive to France. There's a little thing called the Atlantic Ocean chilling there. And sorry, no bridges."

**-.-.-**

_'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream would never do  
I'd still miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing_

Brooke gulped and looked nervously over at Lucas. "Let's go Cheery. We can do this. Together, we can do this." He whispered encouragingly in her ear. She nodded and they stood and followed the nurse back to the room.

**_Flashback Spring Break, senior year_**

"_Come on Brooke! Just jump in already!" Lucas yelled from inside the lake. From her view on the dock, it seemed like the lake needed a serious clean up job._

"_I don't want to." She shook her head. She watched as Lucas climbed the latter on the dock and walked over next to her. He offered his hand and kissed her cheek. _

"_Do it with me. It'll be fine." He promised quietly. "I mean, even Haley is in." He said more loudly. Haley threw him a death glare._

"_Gee! I wonder how that happened." Haley yelled from her spot that she was treading water in._

_Lucas looked over at her hopefully. "If you don't then I'll get out too."_

"_Lucas..." She sighed. She wanted him to have fun too. And like he said, even Haley was in. And she was pregnant. "Alright.." She gave in._

"_Together okay? On three. One, two, three!" He yelled and they both jumped off the end of the dock, hand in hand._

_**End of Flashback** _

The nurse, Kathy, took minor tests, then asked why Brooke had scheduled this appointment. When Brooke answered she thought she may be pregnant, Kathy just nodded, recorded the information in Brooke's folder, and quickly left. "Lucas! I can't handle this wait." Brooke shuddered.

"Deep breaths, Cheery. Deep breaths." He said, flipping the page in his magazine.

"Lucas!" Brooke shrieked as tears welled up in her eyes. "Why are you acting like you just saw The Fog, bored and uninterested? This is our lives Luke!"

Lucas smirked and looked up. "Brooke, I am pretty confident that you are pregnant, and if you aren't, then you aren't. But, if you are, then I'll be here for you. And excuse me if I don't let you work yourself up over something that we are already pretty sure of."

A gentle knock sounded on the door, cutting off Brooke's protest. "Ms. Davis? How are you doing?" Her doctor smiled.

"Nervous." Brooke whispered truthfully.

"Most are," she smiled warmly and gave Brooke a cup and led her to the bathroom. "Are you the pending father?" She smiled at Lucas.

"Uh, yeah, I am." He exhaled.

"Are you nervous, too?" She asked knowingly.

"Honestly, I'm scared out of my mind, but Brooke would just feed off of that if I showed it, so I'm trying to remain clam for her."

"Good. It shows you care more for Brooke than yourself." She smiled. "Brooke used to come to me before she moved to college. I'm good friends with her parents. They're a piece of work though, aren't they?" She laughed, Lucas felt some weird calm rushing over him as he watched the doctor be so nonchalant about something so important.

"Yeah, yes they are." He nodded. Brooke came back, looking venerable and frightened. She handed her cup to the doctor and climbed into Lucas's arms.

What seemed like an eternity, the doctor came back. "Well, well, well. You certainly are pregnant, Brooke."

Brooke's jaw dropped and tears once again welled up in her eyes. "But, but the test said it was negative!"

"Home tests aren't always right." She shook her head. "For my first child, Ryan, I took three and all of them were false. Congratulations. Here's a prescription for some prenatal drugs if you choose to take them."

"Broody, we're going to be parents!" She cried. Lucas grinned at her.

"Yeah, we are!" He exclaimed.

**Not sure why I ended it there, just did. But there's only about 3 chapters (maybe) left. I have trouble with conclusions though so it might be abrupt or longer.**

**VOTE NOW!**

**-Epilogue.**

**-Sequel.**

**-Both**

**Please pick. I need serious help deciding here people!**

_Review, because I like it!_


	24. For You I Will

**Hey, Im back after the battle with my Microsoft Word Program. I got it to start working now yeah for me! Here's your long awaited update:**

**Chapter 24: For You I Will**

_Wandering the streets in a world underneath it all  
Nothing seems to be  
Nothing tastes as sweet as what I can't have _

Nathan jogged to the front door. His knee and shoulder ached still from practice, but he forgot about his pain entirely when he saw who was on the other side.

"Hi, Mr. Scott." The boy waved with a sheepish grin on his face. He was taller than Nathan remembered. But his shaggy and curly brown hair and round blue eyes were still the same. His muscles were a bit more toned and his voice was without a doubt still changing, yet he looked like the young boy Nathan knew so well.

"Sean? What in the hell are you doing here?" He asked, widening the door for his daughter's best friend.

"I was... kind of... hoping to see Nicole." His brow furrowed in bewilderment.

"I meant what are you doing in Tree Hill, but follow me. You want some gatorade?"

"Sure, I'd love some." He responded. "I can't believe you didn't hear though. My dad was traded to the Bobcats. And uh, my STEP-mom decided I needed a permanent place to call home. My dad heard you moved here, so to make his wife and no one else happy, we followed suit." He grumbled, almost snarling at the mention of his new mom.

"I never thought I see the day Ryan Peirce would re-marry." Nathan shook his head, sitting down at the island in the kitchen across from Sean.

"Neither did I. They eloped." He stated bluntly, not hiding his disdain. "And to make matters worse, she has two kids. Her youngest, Abigail isn't so bad, I guess. She's only five and still pretty innocent. But... her son, Travis. He's my age, actually, he's four months older. But he... he's...He's a bastard is what he is." He paused as he stared a hole in his bottle. "Anyways, is Nicole here? Or wait, did she get sent off to boarding school to complete the universe's attempt to ruin my life?"

Nathan laughed. "No. She's out with her mother and sister, but they should be back by now." He said, glancing at the clock on the microwave. Sean choked on his gulp of gatorade.

"Mother and sister? She has a sister!"

"Yeah. Nicole has a twin."

"I didn't know that!"

"Neither did she." He laughed hollowly. Sean looked at him like he was expecting more. "She'll tell you the story later. I gotta go. You can stay here and wait. They'll be back soon. Don't eat ALL of my food." He said, grabbing his keys swiftly off the counter and leaving him alone. He knew Sean was a good kid, he had known him since the day he started playing for the Lakers way back when. Ryan, Sean's father, who was a year older than Nathan, was traded four years after Nathan joined the team. Nicole and Sean were ten years old when he was traded. At first, they both couldn't figure it out. For four years, they spent everyday together, Sean even started attending the boy's summer camp at Walden and they snuck out at night to see each other. And then, suddenly, they didn't have that anymore. They wrote letters and called each other constantly, but after a while, it faded to once a week, once a month, and then on birthdays or holidays.

"Don't count on it." Sean threw out over his shoulder.

-.-.-

_Like you and the way that you're  
Twisting your hair 'round your finger  
Tonight I'm not afraid to tell you  
What I feel about you_

News of Brooke and Lucas's pregnancy news spread like wildfire. The whole gang minus Nathan and Jake, had just finished their late lunch and were on their way home. Brooke and Lucas were so overjoyed about the pending arrival of their child that they hadn't wasted an hour before they called every person they knew and announced their pregnancy. Peyton sobbed uncontrollably, incoherently sniffling about their babies growing up together. Haley shrieked and almost dropped the phone in surprise. Karen had to lean on Keith for support from near faint. Yet Dan, was the only one to remain cool and collected, simply smiling into the phone and throwing out a congratulations.

It seemed times were changing in Tree Hill. And everyone had realized it, too. "-Maybe they pump something in the air." Nicole laughed, following her sister out of the car and around to the trunk, helping her carry the bags from their earlier grocery shopping out of the car and into the house.

"Yeah, I can see the commercial now. 'Come to lovely Tree Hill, where your kids lives will end up being more screwed up than your own and the word drama takes a whole new meaning.'" Hannah snickered, hip-checking the front door sloppily as she tried not to drop any grocery bags. Nicole stepped inside after her sister and her eyes immediately made contact with his.

"Hi Nicky." He waved.

"Nicky! That's Sean... Pierce!" Hannah whispered urgently.

"...Sean? Wh-what a-are you doing here?" She stuttered, not realizing she had loosened the grip on her bags and the oranges had rolled out.

"We moved here... well. Not here, this is your house, obviously, I mean... to Tree Hill." He stammered nervously. Nicole wasn't the only one in shock, Hannah looked like the wind was knocked out of her. This boy had been plastered all over the television, guest spotting on different shows, but more famously, his permanent role on a ABC sitcom, that was, until it was cancelled at the end of the last season.

Nicole walked over to him from shock, and threw her arms around his neck fiercely and held him close. He was finally taller than she was, after all their years, but his embrace felt the same as it always had. "Well, I always knew you were hot for me, but god Nicole, you really need to squeeze me so tight?" He smirked.

"Still arrogant as ever, I see." She sniffed, wiping away tears she didn't know had fallen.

"Still not noticing anything, I see." He mocked, nodding toward a pale faced Hannah. Hannah gave a feeble huff, as if she was offended by not being introduced, but it sounded more like a sigh as if she was smitten.

"Oh, Sean. This is my sister." Nicole said nonchalantly, bending down to pick up the oranges. Hannah opened her mouth to say something but Haley's voice cut her off.

"Hannah and Nicole! How many times do I need to tell you! DON'T leave your shoes right by the front door, where I could EASILY trip, fall, and die of a head injury!"

"It's a conspiracy mom, we are trying to kill you. Your obituary will read: Haley James, death at 31 by tennis shoe accident." Hannah threw back.

Sean threw a nervous look at Nicole, but she was smiling. "Kind of, sort of, missed, by her twin daughters." She continued.

When Haley appeared in sight, she smiled bizarrely at the boy standing in front of her. "Hello."

"Hi." He responded, confusion laced into his small smile.

"Mom, this is my best friend, Sean Pierce. Sean, this is my long lost mom, Haley James." Nicole clarified, looking at the bewildered faces.

"Hi, Sean. Nice to meet you, finally." She smiled her normal broad smile.

"You too. My step-sister loves your music."

"Step-sister!" Nicole screamed.

"Yeah.." Sean sighed. Nicole's eyes were wide and she looked angry. They didn't know anything about each other's lives anymore.

"That's it! To my room! Best friend time. Hannah, stay away." Nicole yelled, yanking Sean from the kitchen. Sean threw an apologetic smile back at Hannah.

"It was nice meeting you both..." His voice faded from the room.

–.-.-

_Oh, I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
Cannonball into the water  
I'm gonna muster up every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will, for you I will_

Nathan called shortly after, instructing Haley to get dressed to go out. Haley rolled her eyes. "Out." Pish... that's all he said anymore. But she dutifully dressed in a simple black tank top and cardigan sweater, jeans and black closed toe boots.

"Ready to go?" He asked, buttoning the last button on his shirt as she came down the stairs.

"I guess.. Couldn't we just stay in once in a while, like normal people?"

"Hales, we're not normal. Get used to it. And we won't be gone long. I was thinking we could walk the pier together."

"Oh. Alright then." Haley said simply, but inside she was grinning. Walking on a pier- yes. That was normal and romantic enough. "Let me just say goodbye to the girls and get my coat." She smiled, heading back up the stairs while he pulled his coat out of the closet and sat down on the couch.

"Nicky," Haley peeked into her room after offering a small knock. "We are going out for a little while. Do you guys want some money for a pizza?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Nicole sprang from her bed and held out her hand for money. Haley handed her a twenty.

"Make sure you order enough for Hannah, too. And please, don't leave her out all night."

"Aww-mom!" She started to pout, but Sean cut her off.

"We won't leave her out. In fact, the miracle child and I were just going to go see if she wanted to watch a movie with us. Weren't we?" He smirked at Nicole, throwing his arm around her. She rolled her eyes and grimly agreed.

"Good." Haley laughed, backing out of the room. She saw Hannah at the end of the hall, already in her pajamas. "Nathan and I are going out."

Hannah laughed bitterly. "Do you want an award?" She slammed her bedroom door and Haley sighed.

"Hales! You comin'?" Nathan shouted up the stairs. Haley shook her head to rid it of it's thoughts and walked across the landing to the hallway opposite Hannah and Nicole's to their bedroom. Her coat laid over the back of her vanity chair, and she grabbed it off quickly, knocking down a picture. She bent down to pick it up, not instantly recognizing it. A small tear ran from her eye and she got that bad-mother feeling back in the pit of her stomach. Nicole's wide small shone back at her, with Nathan clutching her small hand and Brooke crying. The bottom of the picture was titled 'First Day Of Kindergarten.' Placing the photo back, she hurriedly rushed from the room and flew down the stairs. Nathan's arms steadied her at the bottom.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nathan asked as his eyebrow drew together in worry and confusion. Instinctively, his hand moved up to her cheek and he wiped the fresh tear off of her face.

"Nothing.. Let's just go," Haley sighed, but Nathan hesitated, "Please?"

He nodded and he called out a "We're leaving. Be good," as the door shut behind him.

--

_Forgive me if I stutter from all of the clutter in my head  
Cause I could fall asleep in those eyes  
Like a waterbed  
Do I seem familiar  
I've crossed you in hallways a thousand times  
No more camouflage I want to be exposed and not be afraid to fall _

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Lucas says, sitting on the edge of the couch next to Brooke who was laying down. Brooke looked completely upset.

"I feel fine." She grouched, jerking back from his touch.

"Uh. Okay... Can I get you anything?" He asked tentatively.

"New parents might be nice." She bit out, and realization dawned on Lucas's face.

"What happened...?" He asked softly as he threw a blanket over her.

"I called them, to tell them I was pregnant, and that I'm engaged. And that, most importantly, I'm..." She choked up as tears fell from her face and Lucas's gentle hands quickly wiped them away. He bent down and kissed her cheeks which were hot and damp from her freshly fallen tears. "And that I'm happy. And you know what they said?"

Lucas shook his head, but she knew that he did know. He always knew.

"They said that this is what they expected from me. That once I finally had my life in order, that I would throw it all away for nothing. They said all I'd ever be to them was a mistake. And you know what bothers me the most? It bothers me that no matter how many times I hear things like that from them, it always hurts just the same..." As she finished, she let herself fall into Lucas's protective arms, and she cried. She cried for the uncertainty of her future, she cried for the mistakes of her past, she cried for looming threat of failure as a parent, and most importantly, she just cried for herself. Something she hadn't done, yet needed to do, since Nathan called and told her he was moving to California.

She was falling apart, but Lucas was there to pick up the pieces. "Just let it out baby. It's all going to be okay now. I promise."

- - -

_Oh, I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have  
Cannonball into the water  
I'm gonna muster up every ounce of confidence I have  
For you I will _

"So does Hannah have any friends that could show up unannounced at any time?" Nathan laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Truth be told, he never thought he'd see the Peirce's again. Once Nicky and Sean's long-distance relationship started to fizzle out and Nicole developed real relationships with the girls from camp, he figured it was the end of the sole best friend era. He had to admit though, he wasn't angry it came back.

"She has friends from school, but with our touring all the time she never really had enough time to produce a substantial relationship. That's generally the reason I sent her to summer camp. She needed some real interaction with kids her own age. Mostly, she usually hung out with the people backstage. They know not to say anything completely inappropriate in front of her, but at the same time, they're like twenty and she's thirteen." Haley shrugged as they walked hand in hand down the pier. They were attracting photographers and glances as always, but neither noticed. Haley was busy staring downcast, feeling an emptiness she only felt when she thought of the years she missed with her second born. The picture of her smiling on her first day of school was taunting her, it wouldn't erase itself from her mind.

"Hales," he whispered, stopping them in the middle of the sidewalk. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's stupid." She tried to dismiss it. She shook her head and started to walk again, but his hold on her hand stopped the attempt.

"I bet it's not."

"I just-" She sighed. "I just feel like a bad mother. I know so little about Nicole, and it's all because.." She swallowed the tears that she felt welling in her throat. "Because I was stubborn and didn't want to face you."

"Haley, listen to me." He commanded softly, lifting her chin so her eyes met his. "You are not a bad mother. Don't ever think that. And what's in the past, is in the past. You're here with Nicole now."

Haley nodded threw her tears. "You're right. I told you I was being stupid."

"You weren't being stupid, Haley. I feel the same way sometimes, but it's not worth it to dwell on the mistakes of the past."

"Oh ho. Look at you, Dr. Phil."

"What!" He shrugged defensively, and she playfully slapped his stomach with the back of her hand.

"'Don't dwell on the mistakes of the past.'" She mocked. "Who says things like that!"

"You do!"

"Yeah, well. That's because I'm tutorgirl. I'm allowed too. You however are not." She laughed, standing in front of him she wrapped her arms around his waist and craned her neck to look up at his face. He placed his arms around her back and leaned down for a kiss. "I love you." She whispered when they broke away for air. But he only picked her up off the ground and kissed her more passionately.

The music that was playing faintly over the whole pier melted away and suddenly, it was just the two of them, in their own world. Paparazzi swarmed the area and flashbulbs were blinking at increasing rates. Bystanders stopped and watched the spectacle, some laughing, others mortified. They broke away, and stood gazing into each other's eyes lovingly. "Marry me." Nathan whispered.

**DUN DUN DUN! Thanks for the input everybody! As this story takes it's final turn to the completedside, I have decided, but I don't want to tell you just yet.**

**Shout Outs:**

**Come on sweet catastrophe: **Im glad you enjoy my taste in music, I think yours is pretty good then too. I liked your input and def. agree with the converse thing.

**Cadi Cay**: He he he. Screming at the computer screen? Really, well Its not over just yet, probably five more chapters or so... I don't know.

**RoseRows:** We meet again. I believe I came up with a suitable ending and maybe a beginnning, there I go, saying too much agian. "Great chapter, as always" I know, Im amazing, Its just how I am.

**treehillgirl323:** I love Nicole's funnyness, and that I decided to have Brooke pregnant, it worked out in the scheme of things.

**Arhazivory:** ;) I have thought of something... he he he.

That's all for today, yeah I know awww.. you didnt get one. Unless you did.

Anyways, love ya. Keep reading and Ill keep writitng.


	25. You Had A Bad Day

Im not sure why so many of you thought it was over after the last chapter. Not yet, my friends. You Had A Bad Day is by Daniel Powter, in case you didnt know.

**Chapter 25: You Had A Bad Day**

_Where is the moment when we need it the most?  
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost _

_They tell me your blue sky's faded to grey  
They tell me your passion's gone away  
And I don't need no carrying on _

Haley unwrapped her arms from around Nathan's neck. "What?" She gasped in her shock. Their bodies cast shadows on the pier from the continuous and rebellious flashing from the various camera lenses.

"Marry me." He repeated, staring confidently into her eyes.

"Nathan! We can't get married!" She hollered, more flashing. "We barely even know each other!"

"How can you say that, Haley?" He asked. His tone was the opposite of hers, calm and reassuring while hers was frantic and unsteady. "We know each other inside and out. You, Haley James, are still the macaroni and cheese loving, sappy movie watching, clown hating, singer-tutor that I fell in love with in high school. And I'm pretty sure all that's changed about me is that I have more money and some kids, but you even knew that. I'm still the screw up that SUCKS at proposing and desperately, desperately wants you to say yes." He pleaded.

"You don't suck at proposing, you just don't know when to." She tried to joke, but her attempt was feebly stated and received nothing but a sigh from Nathan. He knew that was also her attempt to tell him that she didn't want to get married yet. He knew because he knew her. He turned his head away from her, a very Nathan thing to do. She had known from his facial expression that he would shrug it off and tell her that she is probably right, that he got caught up in the moment. She already knew because she really did know him.

"Alright, you're ri-" His words were cut off by her lips crashing into his.

"You're so predictable." She laughed against lips. When they pulled apart, his eyebrows had bunched up in confusion. "Yes, I'll marry you."

–

_Stand in the line just to hit a new low  
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go  
You tell me your life's been way off line _

_You're falling to pieces every time  
And I don't need no carrying on _

"Are we watching Ferris Bueller now?" Hannah pleaded, leaning forwards over her bowl of popcorn so she could see around Sean, the middle man of the feuding twins, as they sit cross-legged on the couch in the living room. Peering angrily at her sister, Nicole mumbled a yes. They both watched as Sean sighed and picked up the The Goonies DVD case and took the Ferris Bueller's Day Off DVD out of the player and changed discs. They settled back in, propping their feet up on the coffee table as they had before.

"Pardon my french, but if you..." Nicole repeated along with the movie. Hannah and Sean glared at her.

"That is one thing about you that I could live without." Sean implored.

Nicole smiled sheepishly and shrugged defensively. "What! So I've watched this movie a FEW times."

"A few?" Hannah and Sean choked in unison.

"Alright a lot, and I can't help it that I know every line!-" She exclaimed as Nathan and Haley came threw the front door, diverging their attention from the movie.

"We have news." They stated seriously.

_Cause you had a bad day  
You're taking one down  
You sing a sad song just to turn it around  
You say you don't know  
You tell me don't lie _

"Lucas, wake up!" Brooke hissed into the dark urgently. Dragging her hand up one wall, she made contact with the light switch and flipped it on, immediately squinting as her eyes adjusted. She sat up in their bed and looked over at her fiancé. His face was buried deep in his pillow and he laid sloppily on his stomach. Normally, she would watch him sleep for a while then try to fall back asleep, but she needed him. She used both hands to shake him, and then when that had no effect on his state, she bent over and kissed the back of his neck. His shoulders immediately flinched and shivers ran down his back. He quickly pulled himself up from the bed, push- up style. "Hey Lucas!" Brooke giggled at his behavior.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He chattered quickly, very startled by the 12:34 am wake up call.

"I'm fine, but I really want some peanut butter ice cream." Lucas's face relaxed and he slumped back down onto the bed.

"So you're asking me, at midnight, to go out and buy you some peanut butter ice cream?" He sighed.

"Yes." She answered with no hesitation. "Now, scoot. And take your cell in case I want anything else."

Dragging his body from bed, throwing on a shirt and coat, and grabbing his cell phone he left their home. Walking to his car, he muttered, "Forget sympathy pains. I'm going to have a heart attack."

-..-.-.-.-

_You work at a smile and you go for a ride  
You had a bad day  
The camera don't lie  
You're coming back down and you really don't mind  
You had a bad day  
You had a bad day_

"You're getting what!" Nicole screamed.

"Uh. I think that I'll just go now then..." Sean muttered as he started to edge toward the door. Nicole's arm flung out and stopped him. She continued to stare in shock at her parents, but told Sean to stay. "Just go up to my room. You already told your parents you were spending the night. And we may need a 3rd party to break up the massacre that is going to occur any minute now." He nodded and took the stairs two at a time.

"Girls, please, try to understand..." Haley tried.

"No, Haley. They don't need to try to understand. In fact, they don't even need to understand. We're getting married." Nathan boomed threw the house.

Hannah and Nicole looked over at each other, all past hostility now diminished. "They've seriously jumped off the deep end." Nicole shook her head. Hannah agreed, "And they are currently stuck under water and obviously aren't getting enough air in their brain." They talked to each other as if Haley and Nathan had left the room. They had perfected the art of pretending to be alone over their time together. Looking back at their parents, Hannah spoke to them for the first time.

"Mom, who are you? And where the HELL have you put my mother!"

"Don't talk to your mother like that, Hannah!" Nathan scolded.

"She's not my mother! My mother wouldn't agree to get married after not even two weeks of dating someone! In fact, MY mother wouldn't have even lasted this long with someone! This is SO fucked up!" She screamed.

"Hannah! Language!" Haley involuntarily reprimanded.

But Hannah went on as if she had never stopped. "This doesn't mean we're leaving New York, does it! I don't want to leave my school! I just got used to going full time! And what about you! Are you going to stop singing! You've haven't even thought about this!" Hannah berated feverishly. Nicole had almost forgotten the anger she felt toward the curve ball she was just thrown, never had she seen such pure fury in her sister before. Ever. And she thought SHE had an anger issue.

"Hannah, those things will work themselves out, you can go to school full time here and-"

"You know what, mom? Fine. You want to get married to dad, again. Fine. Go ahead, fuck up your life, go ahead. See if I fucking care." She spat with a look of pure disgust. And quickly, she moved past them and ran up the stairs. Her angry footsteps were heard until the following slamming door resounded through the house.

"Nicole..." Haley shuddered tiredly. Her body was tired and cold and her frail frame shook as she shivered.

"Guys, whatever. I guess, if it's what you want. Just... don't go all Ward and June Cleaver on me." Nicole rolled her eyes with a slight reassuring smile. "Hannah should get over this soon. Let her have a party or something." She shrugged, heaving her body up the stairs after her best friend and sister.

"Well, that went... better than I expected." Nathan chirped excitedly, wrapping his arms around Haley and rubbing her back for warmth. Only when he felt her shoulders heave did he realize she was crying.

–.–..

_Sometimes the system goes on the blink and the whole thing it turns out wrong  
You might not make it back and you know that you could be well oh that strong  
Well I'm not wrong _

The following morning was worse than watching your home team lose in triple overtime. Definitely worse. In fact, Haley couldn't remember a time she had ever been more depressed in her whole life. Ever. They started their day with a not so heart warming chat with their eldest daughter.

Haley and Nathan sat next to each other at the kitchen island, sipping coffee wordlessly. Hannah came in, dressed in the same pajamas she had on the night before. Haley and Nathan stared at her as she strode across the room and sat opposite them. Her demeanor was very business-like, despite her crappy appearance.

"Mom. Dad. I have a proposition for you." She said, straight faced. She held out two important looking folders, heavy and filled with papers, and they each took one, glancing at each other nervously. Reading the cover, Haley felt both curiosity and dread fill her body. "Mom. As you probably know, my school offers a boarding school option, and I spent all night researching it. I just want to go to school like all of my friends, and with my friends. I'm sick of moving, I want to stay at Brownsfield's Academy ."

After that, Haley retreated to her bedroom, and stayed there. Hiding from the craziness that was happening outside the safe haven of her queen sized bed.

But it found her.

A few hours later, around one in the afternoon, her cell phone rang. Haley made no attempt to move and pick it up, at least, the first four times she heard the recorded Dashboard Confessional song. By the fifth ring, however, she figured it was either important, or the person had the wrong number. She murmured a hello, it was muffled because half of her face was planted on the white cased pillow.

"Haley James. I thought I taught you better than this. This is not good. Not good at all, Haley." Came Chris's voice. "Haley! In public!" Taylor's voice shrieked right after Chris's. Gosh, how Haley hated the invention of speaker phone at times like these.

"What are you two talking about?" She sighed heavily, rolling onto her back and rubbing her tired face with her left hand.

"Haley!" Kenny's voice sounded. "Open a magazine, anyone, really, it doesn't matter which. Or unfold your newspaper. Or better yet, turn on MTV, it's nearing your segment." Haley could almost hear the angry smirk on his face. She groaned as she reached over to grab the remote from the bedside table. It took her a few moments to figure out how to turn on the flat screen which hung on the wall across from her. She turned it on MTV like she was told, which was an episode of E on MTV. There was a new host, who's name she knew, but couldn't muster the strength to think hard enough to remember it. A segment about teens commemorating the death of their favorite celebrity on t-shirts played, and Haley had no idea what that had to do with her.

"Just keep watching." Kenny instructed sternly. Ignoring the probably gay stylist telling her how to dress her small dog like Paris Hilton for the winter, she heard the faint and merciless ringing of the home phone downstairs.

"Alright, it's coming on. PAY ATTENTION!" Taylor's voice snapped her back into the show.

"_Thanks, Jay. Alright, now what all of you radio and basketball lovers have been waiting for. Haley, if it doesn't work out, give me a call." The host announced and winked, as the film rolled up. "It seemed like a quiet night in a small town, but last night held a cherished event for Bobcat superstar, Nathan Scott and grammy winner, Haley James."_

_A Teen People gossip editor came on while a video of their night on the pier rolled up. "They both grew up in Tree Hill together, and Nathan currently lives there. It has been just recently that we found out they were previously married and had twin daughters, but when they divorced, they each took a twin. Sources from Tree Hill are now saying that their first engagement was very short lived, and they hadn't told anyone about it until after they married, which was still in high school."_

Haley's jaw dropped, they were revealing to the world what she had barely revealed to most of her family. Her chest heaved and she bit her lip, but the tears fell anyway..

"_We barely know each other!"_

"_How can you say that?" _The video shook a little and she noticed the heads of photographers below the camera. How could they have been so careless? She knew they should've stayed inside. Nathan burst into the room, breathing heavily. He looked from Haley's tear streaked face to the televison and nodded. He held the phone in a hand as he came over and sat next to her in the bed. "Brooke called." He whispered. "They all read the paper. They know, Hales."

Haley heaved another long sob and her hands flew to her face. Nathan wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. "They aren't angry." He tried to soothe, but his conscience got the best of him for lying. "Much."

**Countdown to goodbye continues!**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I must say that it was a favorite of mine to write.**

Im dreadfulyl sorry, but unfortunately, I ran out of time tonight and can't do Shout Outs, you'll get good ones next time though, I promise!


	26. Right Here

**-Right Here is a song by Staind. **

**-Right now, I think i'll just let you read:**

**Chapter 26: Right Here**

_I know I've been mistaken  
But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made  
I've got some imperfections  
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face_.

The next day was a depressing, bleak weathered Monday. Nicole's winter break was over and she had returned to school that morning. She had tried her hardest to convince Hannah to at least come to school one day with her, just to see what it was like, but she indignantly refused. Instead, Hannah spent the morning locked away in her room listening to old punk bands and updating her website. Nathan had been picked up early by Lucas that morning for practice, which left Haley pretty much alone in the house.

Nearly ten minutes after she had turned on the Today show, the doorbell rang at the same time she thought she saw someone scurry through the backyard. Haley knew she was naturally paranoid, living in a house of six growing up, you knew to be extra careful and to watch your step, and living in New York hadn't lessened her worry either. Nervously, she pulled herself off the couch and made her way to the front door. On the way she stopped at a mirror, and wiped the tear marks off of her cheeks and tugged at her robe to make it tighter. Immediately after opening the door, she wished she hadn't. Flashbulbs blinded her and reporters shouted questions at her, and worst of all, three people barged into Nathan's mansion's front door.

"I'd ask you what the hell you were thinking, but I already concluded you weren't." A man smirked at her, untwining his fingers from a woman's hand.

Haley sighed. "Guys, do we really need to re-hash all of this crap? We made a horrible mistake. We ARE human."

Taylor looked at her sister wearily. "What's the mistake Haley? The engagement? Or the fact that you let the whole world see it?"

"I don't know. Maybe both." She shrugged. Kenny, Chris, and Taylor followed her into the kitchen where she opened the refrigerator and got out the juice.

Chris opened his mouth to make another snide remark no doubt, but Taylor nudged him. "Haley," She uttered softly. "You have pretty good instincts and I trust them. It's about time you started trusting them too. You and Nathan will figure this out."

"You don't think we're rushing it?" Haley asked, slightly surprised, and slightly hopeful.

"Haley. You haven't gone fast enough. You two belong together and you spent all that time apart." Taylor laughed.

"But Hannah wants to stay in New York, and go to that boarding school or something."

Taylor frowned. "So?"

"She's only thirteen years old! I can't let her stay in New York alone!" Haley exclaimed, leave it to Taylor to not understand the biggest problem she's had with her daughter in years.

"Tell you what. She can live with Chris and me,"she shrugged causually,"I bet you by the end of the year she'll probably want to come home anyways."

Haley hesitated. "I don't know. I'll think about it." Taylor nodded.

"So I guess this means you are staying in Tree Hill then, huh?" Kenny sighed. "I'm going to have to make a lot of calls."

"Yeah... And I think I'm going to take a break from the music business for a little while. I thought it over." And thought it over she had. Nathan had stayed up with her for a long time last night deciding what they were going to do. He had urged her not to, but ultimately it was her decision.

She had decided.

"What about all of your upcoming appearances that we've already scheduled? We can't back out on these things, Haley." He gave her a warnful look.

"I know... I guess I'll go to those. A way to say goodbye I suppose." She nodded to herself before she thought back to the man running across the back patio. "Have you guys seen people in the backyard?"

"Reportersand whatever. Just don't look like crap, which means you need toshower, you look like hell." Chris smiledproudly.

-.-.  
_But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting  
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting  
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting  
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting_

"Shut up...They didn't!... How can they do that? You're like the smartest girl in our grade!." Hannah squeaked over the phone. Her friend, Alexis had just told her that the school didn't pick up her enrollment for the next term. It was common knowledge that Alexis was one of the few people that attended her school who was on scholarship. It was never said, but when you went to private school, these things were known. One of the downfalls with schools, in Hannah's opinion, everybody knew your business.

"Knock, knock." Came Haley's sheepish voice from the doorway.

"Alexis, I'll call you back... alright. Bye." She hung up the phone and looked up expectantly at her mother.

"I come in peace, and brought cookies in case that wasn't enough." She offered, sticking out a tray of cookies and milk.

"It's just a few months mom." Hannah whispered back, playing with her cell phone's battery. Haley nodded.

"But that's months that-" She started, but stopped herself. She had to let her do this. " Look, Hann. I think sometimes you've been taking care of me, maybe more than I've been taking care of you." Hannah looked up at her in shock, shook her head, and opened her mouth to speak, but Haley cut her off. A few silent tears fell from Haley's eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "And that's not right. I just want you to know that I'll always be here. I know I never gave you the kind of life you wanted, like all of your friends where you could just go to school like a normal child, but I tried, I really did. And looking back, I would have given up singing if I had know that's what you wanted." It took her a few minutes to regain her composure. Her face was red and blotchy and her shoulders were still heaving with sobs. "So if you want to go and live with Taylor and Chris, then I'll let you go. I guess... I just, I'll miss you. And I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for making you want to leave." She whispered as she left the room crying. Hannah sat in shock. Her gaze fell on a folder which yesterday had been in Haley's hand in the kitchen. Brownsfield's Academy was imprinted on the glossy, brown and white cover. Slowly, Hannah got up from her seat and threw it in the garbage.

-_  
I hope you're not intending  
To be so condescending it's as much as I can take  
and you're so independent  
you just refuse to bend so I keep bending till I break_

"School sucks. I can't wait until Sean starts school with me again." Nicole complained dropping her black Eastbay backpack on the kitchen floor.

"It was only your first day back." Hannah laughed as she poured a glass of kool aide.

"Which is always the worst." Nicole replied in 'duh' tone.

"True. Um, hey, maybe, ya know, tomorrow I could come with you? Just, to see if I like it?" She asked, nervously playing with a place mat in front of her.

Nicole sent her a disgusted glare. "Yesterday I practically begged you to come with me, and now you're asking? I really don't get you. I mean, YOU'RE the one who wanted Mom and Dad together in the first place. Then suddenly, they get happy and you get homicidal?" She shook her head. "You're freaking nuts."

Hannah sighed. "Nicky, I don't get it either. I wanted them together, and I still do, but... Look, Marriage is huge and what if they rush into it and find out they weren't really meant to be together and then they get divorced and it tears apart our family? I don't want to lose you and Dad again."

"Yeah, and what if a car plows threw this wall and kills me and it tears apart the family? You need to relax. You can't worry so much about what's going to happen, you need to only worry about what you're doing now." She stated wisely, setting a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Hann, did you worry about what was going to happen when you tackled me at camp? Or what was going to happen if Mom and Dad had been angry at us for pulling that stunt with Kristin?"

A defeated smile crept onto her face. "No."

"No, of course you didn't. You thought, "I hate this girl and want to hurt her."...Both times. And you acted blindly on that. You took a leap of faith, and you can look what great things came out of that. Mom and Dad are doing the same exact thing. Maybe they will get a divorce, but then again maybe the sky will fall in."

"When did you get to be the smart one?" Hannah laughed after a few minutes of letting her words soak in.

Nicole laughed. "Enjoy it, it was one of those never-gonna-happen-again things."

--_  
I've made a commitment  
I'm willing to bleed for you  
I needed fulfillment  
I found what I need in you_

"Alright, hot shot. I've fed you and kept you in isolation from the madness for the three hour time span since you ambushed me. I want the scoop or I want you out." Brooke told her companion solidly.

"What should I start with? The fact that Sean's back, the engagement, or Hannah's meltdown." Sometimes Nathan wondered about his friendship with Brooke. They got into fights on a daily basis, yet they never apologized for a single one. Other times, they were peaceful and spent hilarious times together. Up and Down their relationship went and Nathan discovered it was practically unbreakable by now.

"In the order you listed, I suppose. I want the full report, I don't get much adult interaction now that this baby seems to want me to sleep all day, just not at night." She rolled her eyes and sped around the kitchen like she actually knew how to cook something other than sandwiches or cereal.

"Well, he just showed up on my front porch the other day. He said Ryan got remarried to some woman he has an obvious hate for, and to make it worse, she has two kids. Abigail, a little girl and Travis, a punk his age who he doesn't like or something-"

"Oh dueling brothers. How very Scott like... I hope that's not some weird sign or something." Brooke's mouth bent down into a sarcastic frown.

"Shut up you crazy pregnant lady." He laughed. "Anyways, he's back in town and Nicole is pumped about it so I guess it's a good thing, which is rare here in Tree Hill. God I hate this place sometimes."

"Yeah, but most of the time you love it. It's something only a true Tree Hillbilly could fathom." She nodded. "And so you don't think your engagement to Haley is a good thing?"

He shook his head. "One, never call me a hill billy or whatever the crap you said again. And two, I think Haley and I are a great thing, you know that. Just, I hate how it unfolded. I just wish that for once she could have that perfect moment she deserves, without it being tarnished or ruined."

"See, that's why I always knew you two would be together. Nathan, don't worry about the public or anyone else. In the end, You and Haley deserve this, probably more than anyone. You'd give anything for each other and for your girls, maybe it's time for the two of you to get a little selfish." Brooke smiled. In her heart, Nathan and Haley had always been the couple she looked to for guidance. They were her belief that true love does conquer all.

"Thanks Brooke, and trust me: I'm being selfish enough for the both of us, which leads me to Hannah. She completely freaked when we told her. Haley, god I thought she was going to fall apart it hurt her so bad. I know she'd give anything for Hannah, and if it came down to it, so would I, but I just can't let Haley go, not again. She's staying with us, did you know that? She decided she wanted out of music, and I tried to fight her on it, but she said she could go back if she wanted to later and I didn't try to stop her, again with the selfishness. And when Hannah found out, well more like figured it out herself, she came up with this plan to stay at her school. It still hurts to think of Haley's face... it was heart wenching." He shuddered.

Brooke placed a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "Look at me, Nathan. I promise you Hannah will figure this out for herself. Just give it time."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm Brooke." She looked at him like he had uttered the most absurd question. Then she glanced down at the mess of a kitchen in front of her that piled up to amount to absolutely nothing. She shrugged, "Ah, just pass me the cereal."

- -  
_Why can't you just forgive me  
I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way  
But I always find a way to keep you right here waiting  
I always find the words to say to keep you right here waiting_

He knocked softly on his bedroom door, which thinking about it seemed odd. He heard a feeble come in from the other side and made his way in. He found her laying on their bed. Her small frame shook with silent sobs and the sight made his heart plummet. Her back was to him and she was curled into herself. He came onto the bed and laid down next to her, kissing her hair and tucking a strand behind her ear.

"It's crazy out there. They really swarmed the place, didn't they?" He tried to laugh gently as he thought about the reporters camped out on his lawn. " I wonder if we could get the police to beat them away with night sticks, that would be pretty cool."

"That's not funny." She sniffled rubbing away tears. His lips came down on top of her blotchy red cheek.

"I'm sorry." She knew he was, but still, it wasn't his fault.

"For?"

"Everything that's happened." He offered lamely, way to be specific. Moments later he whispered, "I think we need to talk Hales."

"I don't want to, it hurts too much." She cried turning over grasp him and burry her head into his chest. It killed him to see her so upset. He really wished there was something he could do to take her pain away.

He sighed, "Remember prom night? I was so terrified after your collapse that I wanted to go home immediately and hold you until your fell asleep." She nodded sloppily against him. "-But you made me take you to the party Tim had pretty much set up by himself at the beach house. And then you ended up falling asleep there in the same bed as Lucas." She snorted in laughter and nodded again.

"That was an unforgettable night." She mumbled into the hard planes of his chest.

"You want to know what I'll never forget?" An indistinct murmur came from her form and he continued, "The fear that I had lost you for good. Which is the same one I got when the doctor metold about the complications during the birth, and the one I felt each day I woke up in California, and it's the exact same one I get every time something like this happens. I never want to lose you Hales, ever, so if that means I have to be the most selfish man alive, I will be that because it also makes me the luckiest to be loved by you. But Haley, if this isn't what you want, even for a second, then I'll let you go because I'll still be the luckiest man alive to have been loved by you, even if it makes me the saddest."

It made him a nervous wreck to listen to her breathe and hesitate after his words. Finally, she looked up in his eyes and smiled. "I love you." That was all the confirmation he needed.

_But you always find a way  
To keep me right here waiting  
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting  
And if I chose to walk away would you be right here waiting  
Searching for the things to say to keep me right here waiting_

**Shout Outs: **Only four? Im dissappointed in how poor the reviews have gotten...

**Nathanlvr:** I'm glad you don't think it's stupid. Good point on the Hannah thing, I was planning on clearing that up in this chapter, I hope I did. Btw, I love Nathan too.

**JPNeverlosetheButterflies: **I made her be a brat, mostly because I didn't want a perfect little engagement after only two weeks of dating, plus I cleared up why she is freaking out just like I had intended to in this chapter.

**Deli41321:** You are a very good predicter, I give you alot of props for that.

**Emmalee05:** It was kind of sad wasn't it, I'm going to let you in on a secret though, I cried while I was writing the scene between Haley and Hannah in this chapter. I'm not so sure it turned out well like it was in my mind.

**Sweet Essence:** I know they love each other. Thanks. People are against them because they dated for about two weeks...

**You know what to do people... give me a decent review and Ill send you a shout out! Review like you know you wanna do!**


	27. You and I Both

**Thanks to Jason Mraz for the song... you're sweet.**

**Sorry about the delay.. end of the year rush is killing me.**

**Chapter 27: You and I Both**

_Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me?  
Oh things are gonna happen naturally  
Oh taking your advice and I'm looking on the bright side  
And balancing the whole thing_

A relaxing night of her favorite movies curled up with her friends Ben and Jerry, who would bring her nothing more than a sugar induced stupor, sounded perfect after her day. Letting out a long, extended sigh, she fell back into the couch. A goofy smile spread across her face. She mentally thanked God for creating such a great stress relieving activity. She also thanked her own no care attitude when it came to school. Movies or reading about the American Revolution? She could just watch The Patriot, couldn't she?

A thunderous knock sounded from the front hallway. She shrugged, someone would answer it. There was silence for a moment then another. And another. Then it sounded as if The Patriot was being reenacted on her front porch. She reached the door in less than a minute and urgently swing open the door.

She looked at the frazzled boy in front of her and frowned, "You are SO not Mel Gibson."

He shook his head and strode past her into the house. By now, he had most definitely learned sometimes with Nicky it was best just not to ask. "I have extremely good news." He paused and stared at her hard as if he expected her to read his mind. She blinked in anticipation and started to crack a smile. His mouth opened then he closed it and began to pace back and forth down the hallway.

"Sean?" Nicole chuckled after a moment. "The floor might start to wear down if you don't chill out. I thought this was good news?"

"Travis is leaving." He told her, staring at a framed painting in front of him. "They're sending him back to a boarding school in California tonight because last night he got caught drinking by some kid's parents. I guess his mommy dearest is mortified that the neighbors know her son is satin."

She laughed, "Satin? Sean, really. He's probably not that bad."

"Aw, damn Nicole. Not all that 'seeing good in people' crap again. He's horrible." He looked at her seriously and she walked toward him gently. She looped her arm threw his and led him to the family room.

"Why California?" She questioned softly. Sometimes, he got so worked up over nothing.

He rolled his eyes. "She has family nearby the school so if anything happens to him..." She nodded and sat them both down on the couch.

"So if you don't like him, why so worked up?" She pointed out, "Or do you really like him and it's just an act."

He glared deathly at her, "No. I hate him."He shook his head. "It's just... my dad, he just let her send him off."

"Travis IS your step-mom's son. He probably didn't want to interfere." She offered as an excuse. She wasn't blind or stupid, she knew what her best friend was thinking. It was pretty obvious actually: When will he send me away?

He snarled, "Jean. Call her Jean. I don't even want to associate her to me with the word 'mom.' It doesn't belong." She shook his head and winced at the thought. "And that's a good theory but it's horribly wrong."

Nicole shook her head stubbornly before placing it down on his shoulder happily. "I bet it's not, best friend."

-.-._  
But often times those words get tangled up in lines  
And the bright lights turn to night  
Until the dawn it brings  
Another day to sing about the magic that was you and me_

The next day a brisk winter breeze threw her curly brown hair haphazardly around as she walked to the car. Sliding on her thick sunglasses, she was quickly comforted by the fact that there were no longer lurking reporters circling the mansion as if they were a SWAT team encompassing a hostage situation. She had found out late last night that as quick as they had come, Chris, Taylor, and Kenny had left unannounced, and she had a sneaky suspicion they were behind the reporters leaving. She had seen herself and Nathan spread across every magazine possible and frankly, she was sick of herself.

The small bell jingled above her as she walked routinely into Karen's Café. It was bustling with people trying to escape the harsh cold outside, even for the early time. She sat down at the counter in the only open stool. The elderly man on her left turned away from her as if she had attracted the Bubonic Plague and the smile on her face which was being sent to him immediately faded.

"Coffee?" A blonde waitress asked briskly from behind the counter. Her hair was messed and her shirt was coffee stained.

Haley smiled politely, "No thanks. I'm looking for Karen. Is she here?"

The young girl shook her head while pouring the grumpy old man more decaf coffee. "Ms. Scott? She had to run home for something. She said she would be back by about seven thirty though." Haley's eyes flashed to the clock. She could wait.

"Okay, I'll have a piece of pie and hot chocolate then please." Once the girl was gone she pulled a magazine from her purse and sighed when she saw the headline, complete with pictures.

"It's a shame isn't it?" A quiet voice struck Haley out of her thoughts. She sharply turned her head to see a warm looking, white haired woman looking at her.

Haley fidgeted with the sunglasses on her face, aware that they were keeping her concealed along with her sweat suit. "What is?"

"Those two live here, you know. I knew the girl's parents well. Nice girl, boy's a little rough but wasn't no hoodlum like they make him seem. Sad to see they can't be left alone." It struck Haley then who the woman was. Mr. and Mrs. Krougal lived two houses down from her until she was thirteen when Mr. Krougal had a heart attack and Mrs. Krougal and her kids moved to a smaller house. She had to be in her eighties by now. "Karen, the woman who owns this place, her son was rather friendly with her, and he is Karen's boy's half- brother." She paused to take a long drink of her tea. "I'm surprised yous didn't know. You live here, child?"

"Just moved here."

The woman's eye seemed to twinkle and Haley felt a rush of panic. "No wonder. It's small town, and chit chat spreads quick, sugar."

"Their news spreads pretty quickly all over the world." She laughed humorlessly. She picked casually at the piece of apple pie in front of her.

"True. That young thing that says the entertainment news loves to gab about them. They're pretty popular with the youngins." She nods. "Me, I think they are risky to be so spontaneous."

Haley swallowed the lump in her throat, just another doubter. "You don't agree with their engagement?"

"No, no child. I agree. From the daily tellings those two are more in love than most of us. I just said it was risky." She paused and let her words soak in then laughed, amused at a memory. "Sometimes the best things in life are risky, Miss. James." Haley drew in a deep breathe and went to speak, but Mrs. Krougal had swiftly up and left, just as Karen came in front of her.

"Haley? What are you doing here?"

Haley's head snapped from the door where she was watching the lady leave to a woman she considered her second mother's smiling face. A look of concern grew on Karen's features as she took in the look of puzzlement and shock on Haley's. Having forgotten the real reason she came, all Haley could muster was, "I need a new disguse, Karen."

-.-.-.-.-.-._  
Cause you and I both loved  
What you and I spoke of  
And others just read of  
Others only read of the love, the love that I love._

"Nicole. Nicole!" Hannah hissed as she shook her sleeping sister's for. "Get up! It's almost eight! I need your help." When she saw no movement in her sister's state of slumber she resorted to harsher tactics. Grabbing her sister's cd player alarm, she cranked the volume completely up and slid their father's Ying Yang Twins cd. When the sounds of Halftime blaring threw the speakers reached Nicole's ears, she struggled to unroll out of her comforter, instead rolling onto the floor. A loud thud resounded threw the room.

"I. Can't. Stand. You." Nicole mumbled from the ground.

Hannah was unfazed. "Get up. I need your public school knowledge."

"I thought you were the smart one." She grumbled, shoving the blankets off of her body.

"I am. I need your help with what to wear." She chirped, turning on the shower for her sister. "Now hurry up and get ready!"

Fifteen minutes later Nicole was completely finished with her morning routine, only about one hour earlier than she normally would have woken up. She filled into Hannah's room and let herself sprawl onto the bed. "What?"

"THAT's what you're wearing to school?" Hannah's eye's bulged in surprise.

Nicole looked down at her flip flops, sweat pants, and gray tee shirt and shrugged. "Yeah? So what?" She scoffed, a hint of self defense in her tone. "In public school, you can wear whatever you want. Just don't be the girl who showed up on her first day wearing a white lab coat with a bra and mini skirt on underneath. She insisted on leaving the coat unbuttoned so she got suspended. Now she's called Dr. Dumbass."

"Nicky! Oh my god. What if I wear the wrong thing! And get stuck with a nickname for the rest of my life!"

Nicole sighed. "I don't think you understand Tree Hill's politics yet. My last name is Scott and yours is James. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will get us made fun of. But if you wanna be super safe go with regular blue jeans and a polo. It's what about half of the girls will be wearing. Only yours will be more expensive." She finished, getting up and walking down stairs to the kitchen.

Shortly following Nicole, Hannah appeared in the kitchen, only to find her mother and sister at the counter talking.

"Good morning, Hann." Haley smiled. "Where are you going?"

Hannah shot Nicole a questioning glance, she figured Nicole would have told her. "...Uh. School." She watched her mother's eyes light up in hope. She hated fighting with her mom. It happened rarely, so when it did, neither handled it well.

"Uh, I'm going to... get out of here." Nicole quickly exited, leaving her feuding family members to go at it.

"School, huh?" Haley asked, trying to keep her tone nonchalant.

Hannah suddenly felt very nervous. "Yeah, I figured I'd give it a try."

"It couldn't hurt, just to try it I mean. Public school isn't so bad." Haley agreed.

"Yeah." She said softly, looking down at her folded hands. Glancing up at her mother's familiar eyes, she felt a rush that made her think her mom knew all along. They could talk about this...right? "Mom? Can we talk for a sec?"

"Sure, baby. What's on your mind?" Haley smiled, wiping split milk off of the table.

"If... well, when. When you and Dad get married, if things... don't turn out right, like say you two get a divorce..."She trailed off as she fought her brain for the words to finish her thought.

"Will it tear everyone apart?" HAley offered. Hannah nodded. "Look, Hann. If something like that does happen, I'll make sure no one loses touch. I know how important Nicole and Nathan have become to you. I'm not about to let you lose them... or me."

A small smile spread on Hannah's face. "Do you looooove him?"

"Very much."

"Mommy and Daddy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First come lo-" Hannah sang as she followed her rolling eyed mother out of the kitchen.

-.-.-..-  
_See I'm all about them words  
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words  
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages forwards  
More words then I had ever heard and I feel so alive_

"Hey, sexy girl." A rough male voice smirked in her ear and she let out a laugh that matched her eye roll.

Nicole shut her locker and turned around, "Hey clinically insane boy." She peered around the boy, scanning the hallway. "Have you seen my high strung sister? It's her first day in a public school and I don't want her to go into culture shock or something."

He put his hand over his heart and feigned hurt, "It's my first day here too, you know. A little compassion from my best friend would be nice!"

She let the teacher like smile grow on her face and batted her eye lashes, "I'm sorry Seanie boy. How has your first five minutes at yet another new school going?"

Sean sighed dramatically, "Well, since you asked..." She swatted at his chest and he laughed as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's go save your sister from a panic attack."

Heads turned as they walked down the middle school hallway. They turned the corner and entered the main office. They took a seat in the row of chairs and waited for Hannah. Nicole leaned over and whispered in Sean's ear, "Do you like the secretary's glasses?"

"I rate them a nine point seven on the too cool for style scale. If I had her bone structure, I would wear those at all hours of the day." He joked with a serious face. After she stifled her giggles, together they immediately whispered a rendition of 'I Wear My Sunglasses At Night'.

"Hey, I was looking all over for you two," Hannah chirped from behind them, "Did you guys know they sell chocolate bars in the vending machines here?"

Startled from her voice, the pair nearly jumped. "Yeah, welcome to public schools, Hann. They just let you get fat." Nicole sighed as she took a deep breathe to regain composure.

"I really like it here, Nicky." She grinned softly into Nicole's ear as they walked to Nicole's first hour.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "School sucks, you're weird. Come on we only have forty five seconds before I'm late." They quickly dogged the students being shuffled off to class by teachers and the inanimate objects which Hannah was sure she would fall over at least once today. The tardy bell rang before they half way down the math hallway and Nicole groaned. They slowed down, they were late anyways.

"-And keep out yesterday's homework. Make sure you have those four theories copied down from yesterday. If they're on your formula cards you can use them on the quiz tomorrow... Ah, Miss. Scott. So nice of you to join us, and who is this with you?" Nicole's math teacher, Mrs. Barnes told the silent class.

"This is my sister, Hannah. She might be transferring here and I was just showing her the math labs, but Dr. Tydell stopped us to ask Hannah some questions, sorry we're late." Nicole lied cooly.

Mrs. Barnes smiled tightly. "Hannah, pull a desk near Nicole's. Nicole, just get out your homework."

As they walked to their desks Hannah leaned in and hissed in Nicole's ear. "You lied! What if she checks with the principle and he says he didn't stop us?"

Nicole looked over at Hannah and stonily said, "She won't."

"How do you know that?"

"Tree Hill politics, Hannah. You really need to figure out how to work your power." She shook her head and opened her books to learn the CPCF theorem, while Hannah learned that she wasn't an everyday person like in New York. She was a star in Tree Hill's eyes, a mysterious star.

-.-.  
_You and I, you and I  
Not so little you and I anymore, mmm...  
And with this silence brings a moral story  
More importantly evolving is the glory of a boy_

"Okay, great. See you at ten then, Miss. James." The sickeningly sweet intern at TeenPeople's voice came through the phone. It was times like these Haley wished she had the will power to say no to pleading people. She was just too nice sometimes. She reached up to set the cordless phone back on the kitchen wall when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her middle. Haley turned around and smiled happily at the male chest in front of her.

"Hey you." She chirped excitedly.

"Hey yourself." He smiled back, leaning in to seal their welcome with a kiss. When they finally pulled apart he traveled to the fridge and scrounged for a beer. "Where is everyone.. It's too quiet."

"School." She responded shortly, but not hiding the thankfulness in her voice.

His eyebrows raised in surprise, "Hannah too? Don't tell me she volunteered to go to public schools!"

Haley nodded happily. "It's been an odd day for me to say the least, but odd in a good way. I missed you though."

His signature smug smirk spread slowly across his face as he walked even slower toward her, "The kids are gone... we have the house to ourselves. What CAN we do?"

"Nathan," She warned. "They will be home in an hour."

"So I can be quick." He told her, lifting her onto the kitchen counter and trailing sloppy kisses down her neck.

She leaned back her head, "Would this be a good time to tell you we have to do an interview for Teen People tomorrow?" Too distracted and possibly too excited, Nathan murmured a yes, sure, whatever between kisses. "Would this also be a good time to tell you we can't do this because my birth control ran out?" She couldn't help but giggle uncontrollably at the lost little boy face he made.

"Haley..." He groaned, walking with difficulty away from her.

"Where are you going?"

"Shower." He answered. "Cold Shower."

-.-.

_And it's okay if you have go away  
Oh just remember the telephone works both ways  
And if I never ever hear them ring  
If nothing else I'll think the bells inside  
Have finally found you someone else and that's okay  
Cause I'll remember everything you sang_

"Slut? Second Slut? Sean?" Brooke questioned to her new guests, widening the front door to let them in. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to see you of course!" Hannah answered as she was the first to walk through the door.

Nicole smiled and rolled her eyes, "Public school agrees with her. She's mentally unstable."

Brooke smiled and wrapped Sean in her arms, "Good to see you kid." She said loudly so Hannah and Nicole could hear, but quietly whispered in his ear, "Just 'Best friends' don't normally stare at each other's asses." She winked at him as she pulled away and he blushed furiously. Nicole shot him an questioning look and he smiled nervously. "Well, shall we move to the kitchen?" Nicole smiled and remembered that almost every good conversation she ever had with Brooke had occurred in a kitchen, which she found puzzling since Brooke could not cook.

They followed a pregnant Brooke into the kitchen where it seemed like pastel colors had exploded. "Uh, Brooke. What is all of this?" Nicole shuddered.

Brooke looked around the room casually, "The baby's room stuff."

"You don't even know the sex of it yet." Hannah reasoned, mentally flinching at the idea of clown wallpaper. God, how those things scared her.

"So what? I can plan now anyways. It gives me something to do. Peyton and I have been working on this for the past few days. If she wasn't so hormonal and girly right now, I bet she'd go with black or something. But, I think she chose a Beatrix Potter theme, she read somewhere that it developed brain function or something." Brooke sighed longingly, she really needed to read more, and Peyton always took the good ideas.

"What about a basketball theme?" Sean chipped in, Hannah nudged him fiercely.

Brooke rounded on him, "A basketball theme, huh?" She bit out venomously. "Yeah, there's an idea. Why don't I just attach the pressure onto my stomach now and get a head start on it! Please, Sean, get serious. As if having the last name of Scott isn't pressure enough." She rolled her eyes.

"Sorry." He mumbled and felt a sinking guilty feeling hit the pit of his stomach.

"Have you started the wedding plans yet?" Hannah asked, hoping it would be a neutral enough question.

Her mood seemed to immediately perk up, "Yes! I have!"

Nicole glanced nervously around the room, "Have you two set a date yet?"

"Yes! We have, but I'm not supposed to tell. We need to tell Karen first." She squealed, "But you girls won't tell will you?-"

"Brooke! Just stop there and tell Karen first. Uncle Luke won't be happy if you let it spill." Nicole scolded.

"But-!"

"Just make like Sean and shut up Brooke." She smiled motherly. "Now let's pick out a nice... unbiased color scheme."

_Cause you and I both loved what you and I spoke of  
and others just read of and if you could see now  
well I'm almost finally out of.  
I'm finally out of, finally.  
well I'm almost finally, finally, out of words_

**The Brooke at the end was random, but I like her. THE NEXT CHAPTER: Is the last one, be sad.**

Throw my hands up and **Shout Outs:**

**Emmalee05 --** I really loved writing that scene between Haley and Hannah. I actually cried while writing that scene. But I was on medication for strep throat so... ha ha ha. There wasn't much NH in this chapter, sorry. Hope you still liked it though.

**JeniRose**- I liked your review, it was close to what I had been thinking about for this chapter, so I made sure to include them. I love Brooke and I really like the Brooke and Nathan relationship. I hope they have more of them in season four!

**Roserows**: I hated that chapter too, butI REALLY hate this chapter. As a matter of fact, I hated it so much I puta little Brooke in because I like her, Im happy youlikeher too. Some people don't I do.Thanks forbeing so honest, you're cool like that I guess.

**leh2007**- Thanks, I adore you too.

**deli41321** - I have a idea about Brooke's words.. you'll have to wait to see though. I liekd writing Hannah's day at school, even though I hated how it turned out. That happens too much with me :(


	28. My Best Friend

Thanks to Tim McGraw for the song.

Last chapter----

**Chapter 28: My Best Friend**

_I never had no one that I could count on  
I've been let down so many times  
I was tired of hurtin'  
So tired of searchin'_

"I'd really rather stay here." Nathan groaned into his pillow while his fiancé tugged incessantly on his ear in attempt to wake him up.

She snorted in laugher, "You think I wouldn't? I can't bale on this Nate, I promised a long time ago that I would do this interview and a short photo shoot." She bit her lip when there was still no movement from the male body in front of her, "Come on, these people are always really nice, and you get free bagels."

"We have bagels, Haley. I ate one yesterday morning." He grumbled in response and wrapped a toned arm around her waist. "I'd rather stay here in bed." He smirked and added as an afterthought, "With you."

Again, she laughed and he smiled in spite of himself. God, he loved her laugh. "I told you yesterday I don't have any birth control left, Nathan."

He turned his head off his pillow and looked at her. Reaching his arm up from her waist, he tucked a curly strand of her hair behind her ear, and kissed her forehead. "So what?" He shrugged, Scott smirk firmly in place on his lips. "What's one time gonna do?"

Her jaw dropped and she let out a hollow laugh, "Nathan? Didn't we learn that lesson when we were teenagers? Uh, hello-o! Nicole and Hannah are perfect examples of what one time is going to do."

He shrugged seductively, pulling her closer to his naked chest and basketball short covered legs, "What are the odds that you'd get pregnant again though?" He reasoned, already decided he would persist until she gave up. He brushed her hair away from her neck and started to place soft kisses along it as she started to babble.

"Well, I don't know the exact odds, but you never know Nathan. It could happen again. Everything can always happen again. I mean, look at us, we happened again. And, and I still have to be at the high school for this interview in less than an hour... and"

He silenced her with a searing kiss and continued his argument as if he had not heard a word she had said, "And would it be such a bad thing if you did get pregnant." Ching, ching. Major fiancé points. In his arms, he felt her entire body tense at his words and he inwardly smirked.

"You, you want kids... more of them?" She choked out, willing her body to relax and for her eyes to reopen.

He brushed his rough hands against her soft face, causing her eyes to open and stare directly into his bright blue eyes. "Haley, if we could, I'd have as many kids to fill an entire basketball team, bench players and all. Obviously we're gonna need somebody to continue the Scott men tradition."

Haley chuckled quietly, " Isn't Lucas already taking care of that?"

"Nah, it'll be a girl. I know it." He yawned confidently.

She bit her lip again, "How do you figure that?"

He looked at her questioningly, "This is Brooke's first kid too. It's going to be a girl. I know it for a fact."

"Oh yeah? And how do you know we'd have a boy?" She challenged, loving every moment of thinking about their future together.

"I don't." He breathed huskily into her ear. It was enough to make the hair on her back stand up and a smile to spread on her lips. "I just really, really want one. You want kids, don't you baby?" He knew it. He won.

She nodded, "We can be a little late... I suppose." She sighed and relaxed into his arms as he pulled her on top of him. Weighing his options, he could take a few hours at some dumb magazine if it meant he got this.

"Late, of course Hales. They won't mind." He assured her between kisses as his hand slid off the shirt she had pulled on. "They won't mind at all."

-.-._  
Til you walked into my life  
It was a feelin' I'd never known  
And for the first time, I didn't feel alone  
You're more than a lover  
There could never be another_

_To make me feel the way you do_

"Nicky, you got any plans for Saturday night?" A perfectly combed brown haired boy cocked an eyebrow across the table from her. She smiled and started to respond, but a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and a lunch tray came down next to hers.

"Actually, she does." Sean glared across the table. "We're going to the movies."

Nicole pushed his arm off her shoulder and said playfully, "Oh really? Since when?"

Next to the brunette boy, Hannah's red lunch tray flopped down and she draped her backpack across the back of the chair. "Since Monday, duh. Remember we are going to see that movie that came out last week, the one we didn't get to see?" When Nicole looked down at her lunch, Hannah winked over the top of her head at Sean and he returned it with a thankful smile.

Nicole sent her a confused look, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

A brief look of panic crossed Hannah's features before her mischievous side kicked in and she winged it, "Oh come on, the movie I've been talking about forever! The oneabout the boy and girl in love that live in New York and havethesesocialite lives."

Sean tried to restrain his laughter when he saw Nicole really trying to remember the movie that Hannah had just fabricated. "I know what you're talking about now. We saw it on that MTV news special!"

Hannah, now the lost one, pressed on a smile and nodded her head, "Yes, that's the one."

Sean turned back to the boy across the table and glared, "See? She has plans, and they aren't with you."

Sighing the boy stood and to Nicole scoffed, "Whatever, hang out with that loser if you want. Call me if you change your mind."

When the boy was out of earshot, Hannah bent over her lunch and whispered, "Please Nicole, Brent McGrand? Why would you want to do anything with him?"

"I didn't" She answered simply. "But Mr. Protective over here didn't give me a chance to say no."

Hannah watched Sean's jaw clench and then practically tear his sandwich in half. Poor kid. Maybe _she_ should just tell Nicole that Sean is madly in love with her. Everybody knows it but Nicole. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to go. I have to, uh..help mom paint my new room." Hannah received the room next to Nicole's after the engagement tension hadlifted. Nicole and Hannah loved each other, but obviously were incapable of sharing a room. "It'll just be you two then."

"But you were the one who wanted to see the movie," Nicole said while next to her Sean grinned like a kid on Christmas.

Hannah shrugged, "Then see a different one. Whatever."

Nicole looked over into Sean's eyes and smiled, "Just us then?"

"Just us." He confirmed. Hannah rolled her eyes and swears she will make sure they get together sooner or later.

–.-..-.-.

_Oh, we just get closer  
I fall in love all over  
Everytime I look at youI don't know where I'd be  
Without you here with me  
Life with you makes perfect sense  
You're my best friend_

"I can't believe this. I waddled my ever expanding butt all the way over here and no one is even home. Lucas, didn't you call!" Brooke scolded her fiancé as she looked around the empty Scott mansion's living room. "Hot Shot! You have to be here, do not hide from me, Nathan Scott. I will find you!" Hormone wise, Brooke was extremely unstable today which came to be accepted as the norm lately.

Rapidly, the younger Scott brother appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing hair product into his stubborn dark hair. "Hello, Brooke. How's the baby doing?" He spoke evenly as if he was reading out of a social guide book. Haley was down the stairs immediately after him, and she was desperately trying to button her shirt.

Taking a look at Nathan and Haley's rushed appearances, Brooke's eyes glinted and she smiled deviously. "Did I interrupt something here?"

Nathan and Haley quickly glanced at each other. Lucas grimaced, "Brooke, I don't think-"

"Shut up, Lucas. I want to know." Brooke shot back.

Haley smiled innocently, "No, we have a interview for a magazine that we are late for, right Nate?"

"It's not exactly mine," he corrected, sending a slight and short glare to Haley, "but she made it mine."

Brooke smiled, pleased with the answer, "Already making him whipped... wait you've always had him whipped." Lucas nodded, chuckling in agreement.

"I'm not whipped," Nathan denied quietly, scowling at his brother and friend.

"Oh, of course not baby."Haley cooed, giving him an endearing kiss, "Now go get my purse please."

"Not whipped huh?" Lucas chortled when his brother immediately went to get Haley's purse.

Leaving the room, Nathan threw over his shoulder, "You're just mad because I'm getting laid, and all your getting is bitched at."

Haley turned read from dire embarrassment, while Brooke turned crimson from blind anger. "I can't wait until you knock up Haley again! Then we'll see, hot shot. Then we'll see." Brooke swore to them while grabbing a jaw clenched Lucas by the arm and tearing out of the house.

From the other room Nathan was heard laughing hysterically, "She's nuts."

"She's pregnant, Nathan," Haley shook her head. "I can't believe you said that. Not only is it a little bit of an over share, but it is also rude. She's your best friend and he's mine."

"Who ever said she was my best friend, Hales?" He shrugged, nodding to the door when he returned with her purse.

Haley huffed, "You lived with her for eleven years. You love her just as much as I love Lucas, and it wouldn't kill you to show a little compassion to her."

Nathan stopped and turned around, charming smile on his face. "But baby, see, I like to save all of my compassion for you. I may tolerate Brooke and call her my friend, but I love you and pretty soon I'll be calling you my wife, so-"

"Save it Nathan. We're going to the interview."

-.-.-.  
_You stand by me  
And you believe in me_  
_Like nobody ever has_

**Three months later.**

"Guys, the issue came in the mail!" A joyful Nicole bounded into the living room where their entire family sat. Brooke and Lucas sat curled up into each other on the armchair as everyone looked at their Valentine's Day wedding pictures. Peyton and Jake sat side by side on the couch with Peyton's head on Jake's shoulder and Jake's hand on Peyton's eight month pregnant belly. Haley was bustling about trying to make sure everyone had drinks in between moments of preparing a dinner for them all.

Nathan yelled, "Hales! Get in here!" earning a swat from both his mother and Peyton who were near enough to touch him. "Ow! What?"

"Don't command her like that Nathan. She's busy and doesn't need you bossing her around." Came Deb's disapproving voice as an apron clad Haley entered the room.

"You beckoned?" She dead panned, glaring at her fiancé.

He grabbed her wet hand and pulled her down onto his lap. "The article is here." He said softly, brushing a curl of brown hair out of her face.

Immediately she perked up, "Oh! Read it Nicky!" After a moment of scanning the room, her motherly instinct kicked in and she warned, "Hannah, you're going to spill that. Put it on the table."

"Okay, here it goes, ugh Dad, that is a horrible picture of you." Nicky said, beginning to read the magazine to the room.

_For celebrities, Nathan Scott and Haley James are unbelievably normal, even after their very public proposal in January of this year. With the proposal came the news of their earlier relationship during their high school career. They wed on a beach in their hometown of Tree Hill, North Carolina, when they were both seventeen years old and in their junior year. She became pregnant the following school year and gave birth to twin girls, Nicole Debra and Hannah Karen Scott, in September of their first year of college. They divorced a few months into college life and he took off to California to play basketball at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with Nicole while she studied the arts at New York University (NYU) with Hannah. After college, she went on to pursue a musical career and he was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers. Last summer, their daughters coincidentally met at a summer camp and conspired to mend their family back together. It seems implausible and completely idealistic to do such a thing, but nevertheless it worked and now, months later, the couple is engaged to be married. _

_Teen People: Nathan, how did you two meet in high school and then later fall in love?_

_Nathan Scott: It's a pretty long story, actually. So I'll just say she was my half- brother's, who was my enemy, best friend. So I tried to get to him through her and she became my tutor. But Haley... she was, she is, different than anyone I have ever met in my entire life. Karen, Lucas's (my brother) mom, always says it's hard not to love her. _

_Teen People: How did Lucas and yourself become the great friends that you are now?_

_Nathan: Haley changed everything. _

_Teen People: And w as it hard being away from Haley and Hannah for so many years? _

_Nathan: It was extremely hard. I kept this secret from Nicole about her mother and sister for so long that it was tiring, especially on anniversaries and whatever. But my friend Brooke, Lucas's wife, helped me through a lot of the pain, particularly those first few years after our divorce._

_TP: You were engaged to another woman when you saw Haley again last summer, right?_

_Nathan: Yeah, her name was Kristin. I guess with her, I was just settling. At that point, I figured I'd probably never see Haley again, and if I did it would probably be at a reunion where we'd say hi and then leave. When I saw Haley again, in Tree Hill, it was almost like I was imagining it. Immediately, I remembered exactly why I loved her all of these years._

_TP: When you moved back home this past year to play basketball with the Charlotte Bobcats, did you worry that Haley wouldn't follow you?_

_Nathan: A little, but I knew she loved me. I mean, really, who wouldn't?_

_TP: In basketball, do you ever find that the increased pressure makes it difficult to have a personal life?_

_Nathan: I have never really cared when they said bad things about me. However, I'm way more protective of our relationship than my jump shot so it makes me more angry when they say we're not meant for each other compared to when they say I need to bend my knees more or something. _

_Tp: And finally, Boxers or Briefs?_

_Nathan: Haley can tell you that. I'm going to get a doughnut._

_Teen People: Haley, was it love at first sight between yourself and Nathan?_

_Haley James: Not at all. In fact, before I even met him I thought he was a jerk, which was very judgmental of me, but he was very mean to my best friend, Lucas who is his half- brother. It wasn't until much later that I even developed a crush on him, okay, well, it wasn't THAT much later. He is pretty cute._

_TP: When you and Nathan first saw each other after all of those years of being apart, what first went through your mind?_

_Haley: My first thought was, 'That's not him. It just can't be.' Then I thought, 'Maybe he didn't see me... run!'_

_TP: Your proposal shocked most of the world. He always had the bad boy reputation and you are America's sweetheart songstress. Is it difficult for the two of you to surmount everyone's doubts?_

_Haley: It is emotionally grinding for people to constantly be telling you that the choices you are making in life are bound for failure, but Nathan and I have overcame so many obstacles in our lives that I am confident in our staying power. We were very young when we were married and I think we needed to find ourselves a little more, and now that we have done that, I know we are ready to try again._

_TP: You have taken a break from your career to settle down with your family. Do you think you will ever pick it back up again?_

_Haley: Maybe, I love to sing, but I also have always wanted to become a teacher and lately I have thought of trying to explore more options in life. So, as far as my career in music is concerned, it's not completely out of the question._

_TP: Your daughters are thirteen and going to be starting high school. Does that make you nostalgic for their childhood again?_

_Haley: Of course, and if you are actually trying to ask me if Nathan and I are planning on having any more children, I won't answer that question._

_TP: Finally, does Nathan wear boxers or briefs?_

_Haley: He has two pairs of lucky basketball BOXERS, but that question is kind of odd._

_Teen People: When is the wedding?_

_Nathan: Never. We lied._

_Haley: Be quiet, Nathan. We haven't set a date yet. _

"There is almost nothing about us! You guys talked about Pimp Daddy more than your own children, and gross about the boxers thing." Nicole shook her head to rid it of the lucky boxer picture flashing in her mind.

Brooke stood up, "That's it? I waited three months for the same information I already knew!" She threw her arms up and looked angrily at Nathan and Haley. She pointed to her belly. "I wanted some good, juicy gossip! I'm running out of things to tell the baby!"

"Yeah, I'm with Brooke. That sucked." Peyton pouted. She absently tugged at the hem of her maternity designed Tric shirt. "I waddled all the way over here for nothing."

Nathan smirked. "Ah, Peyt. It wasn't for nothing. The doctor says you should get exercise in whenever you can." Still, after all of these years, Peyton and Brooke always complained and Nathan always had a remark to push back with.

Peyton and Brooke glared and Peyton snarled, "Go play in traffic, Scott."

"What? And miss the pregnancy pout parade put on by my two favorite friends?" He feigned shock and held a hand to his chest. He lowered his voice, "Never!"

Haley smacked the back of his head. "Be nice." She told him, and then to the room, "Dinner's ready."

Everyone made their way to the living room, except Nathan and Haley. Nathan wrapped his arms around Haley's apron clad waist, and bent down to press a kiss into her neck. "I love you." He swore, and she remembered why she wanted to spend the rest of her life with a rude, egotistical basketball player. Why she would deal with groupies flirting with him forever on and why she would specially wash his lucky boxers before every basketball game. Why she would never see him as a thirty one year old man, but rather as a seventeen year old boy who asked her to spend the rest of his life with her. Because he was her one true love.

And she was his.

They headed to the table hand in hand, where Lucas immediately picked up his champagne flute. "To life bringing us happiness and together again."

They locked eyes across the table. "To love."

Nicole kicked Hannah underneath the table to get her attention before rasing her glass, "To pairs."

Hannah added with a glance at her parents, "That are perfect for each other."

_When my world goes crazy  
You're right there to save me  
You make me see how much I have_

_And I still tremble when we touch_

_And oh the look in your eyes  
When we make love_

_You're more than a lover  
There could never be another  
To make me feel the way you do  
Oh, we just get closer  
I fall in love all over  
Everytime I look at you_

**Notes:1st. **Thanks to all of you readers for you continued support and reading and reviewing and all that goodness.

**2nd.** I decided to make a SEQUEL, whichwill be entitled: "Our Family Portrait."

**3rd.** You guys are sweet and I hope I hear from you guys during the next fic.

**Shout Outs:** Last Ones to be delt for a while. Be sad.

**RoseRows:** I did you first because you have been reviewing constantly since the beginning. I thank you for that. I hate school too. Especially finals because you stress so much to study then you stress until you find out your grade. Seriously, finals take off a good two years of a person's life from stress. I hope you read the sequel and I can shout out to you about school and things like that.

**nicolec:** I'll miss you too. And I'm sorry you are sorry it is ending. You can read the sequel though :

**xSmile:** The sluts thing started at the very beginning of the story. And as for Sean and Nicole, you'll need to read the sequel for that information.. to see if they end up together. I hope you read the sequel...

**emmalee05:** haha. What you wear any day is important at my school. However, the first day is of course the most important. You have to see if you look better in your new Back to School clothes than everyone else.

**Nathanlvr:** Sorry, I know you really wanted Hannah and Sean. But you'll see in the sequel, (if you read it) why I did what I did. I promise you will be happy. It'skind of a OTH twist. Anyways, thanks for reading. You are cool for doing that.

PEACE OUT

-KATIE


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